IS MADE POSSIBLE BY-- THE EDEN HALL FOUNDATION SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PITTSBURGH AND SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

THROUGH THE LENS OF WOMEN'S ISSUES, IT CONTINUES THE STEWARDSHIP OF SEBASTIAN MUELLER IN THE AREAS OF HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND THE ARTS.

AND BY-- CHATHAM UNIVERSITY IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA HAS EMPOWERED WOMEN FOR 145 YEARS, ADVANCING WOMEN'S CAUSES WITH THEIR CENTERS FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND THE NEW CHATHAM UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S INSTITUTE, OPENING IN 2015.

AND THESE ADDITIONAL DONORS: [applause] - WELCOME TO " CLOSING THE GAP: 50 YEARS SEEKING EQUAL P" .

I'M YOUR HOST, SHARON EPPERSON, AND FOR THE NEXT HOUR, WE'LL EXPLORE BARRIERS TO EQUAL PAY AND THE IMPACT THEY HAVE ON AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THE ECONOMY.

I'LL BEGIN BY WELCOMING OUR PANELISTS KNOWN NATIONALLY FOR THEIR ADVOCACY WORK ON BEHALF OF WOMEN AND FAMILIES.

FIRST, WE HAVE TERRY O'NEILL, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN, THE MS. FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN CEO AND PRESIDENT TERESA YOUNGER, DARA RICHARDSON-HERON, THE CEO OF THE YWCA USA, AND LINDA HALLMAN, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN.

AND LATER, WE'LL WELCOME ANOTHER SPECIAL GUEST.

THAT'S LILLY LEDBETTER, NAMESAKE OF THE 2009 LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT.

I'LL SPEAK WITH HER ONE-ON-ONE, SO YOU'LL WANT TO STAY TUNED FOR THAT.

BUT FIRST, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR PANELISTS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH DISCUSSION AND SO MUCH DEBATE AND SO MANY CONFLICTING POINTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE GENDER PAY GAP, THE WAGE GAP.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MOST OVERLOOKED, TERRY?

- YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT FULLY 80 PERCENT OF SUB-MINIMUM WAGE, TIPPED WORKERS, IN THIS COUNTRY ARE WOMEN.

THAT'S A MAJOR PART OF THAT WAGE GAP.

- AND DARA, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MOST OVERLOOKED?

- WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THIS JUST DOESN'T IMPACT LOW-WAGE WORKERS.

THIS IS FOR PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE EMPLOYMENT SECTOR.

- AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU POINT OUT IS THE WAGE GAP AND HOW IT EXISTS NO MATTER WHAT.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

- THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, GRADUATING INTO A PAY GAP IN ONE OF OUR RESEARCH REPORTS, WE FOUND THAT SEVEN PERCENT IS TOTALLY UNEXPLAINED.

WHEN YOU COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, JOBS, UM POSITIONS, UM SCHOOLS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, SEVEN PERCENT IS STILL UNEXPLAINED, AND THAT'S A NEGATIVE TO THE WOMEN.

- AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN LONG-TERM, TERESA, FOR WOMEN?

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MOST OVERLOOKED ABOUT THAT ISSUE?

- I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS WAGE GAP ACTUALLY AMOUNTS TO BETWEEN 400,000 AND TWO MILLION DOLLARS OF LOST WAGES OVER A WOMAN'S LIFETIME.

AND THAT'S JUST A LOT OF MONEY.

AND WE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT MANY WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 65 ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, AND WHAT THEY COULD DO IF THAT WAGE GAP HAD BEEN MET IN THEIR LIFETIME.

- VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AND MUCH MORE COMING UP, AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU TOO.

SO JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

RIGHT NOW IT'S TIME TO UNPACK THE STATISTICS AND FIND OUT WHAT FACTORS ARE REALLY AT THE ROOT OF THE GENDER PAY GAP.

voice-over: PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY SIGNED THE EQUAL PAY ACT INTO LAW IN 1963, GUARANTEEING EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN AND MEN DOING THE SAME WORK FOR THE SAME EMPLOYER.

HAVE WOMEN SEEN PROGRESS SINCE THEN?

SURE, BUT AT A VERY SLOW PACE.

THE WAGE GAP HAS IMPROVED AT A RATE OF LESS THAN HALF A CENT PER YEAR SINCE 1963.

AT THAT RATE, THE GAP WON'T CLOSE COMPLETELY UNTIL THE YEAR 2053.

THAT MEANS TODAY'S 20-SOMETHINGS WILL SEE EQUAL PAY JUST ABOUT THE TIME THEY'RE READY TO RETIRE.

- I DON'T SEE HOW THAT'S RIGHT.

- I JUST ASSUMED BASICALLY MOST PEOPLE ARE PAID ON AN EQUAL BASIS.

voice-over: WOMEN MAKE UP HALF THE WORKFORCE... AND 6 OUT OF EVERY 10 AMERICAN FAMILIES RELY ON WOMEN'S PAYCHECKS TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

- MY DAUGHTER... SHE'S A BREADWINNER.

AND SHE WORKS HARD FOR HER MONEY.

- RIGHT NOW, MY WIFE MAKES MORE THAN ME.

voice-over: YET, US CENSUS BUREAU STATISTICS SHOW THERE IS NO INDUSTRY IN AMERICA WHERE WOMEN EARN MORE THAN MEN.

Deborah Brake: FOR MOST WOMEN, THEY'RE IN THE WORKPLACE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE WORKING AND THEY NEED THE ECONOMIC SECURITY.

voice-over: DEBORAH BRAKE SPECIALIZES IN EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAW AND GENDER LAW... AND SHE TESTIFIED TWICE IN CONGRESS IN SUPPORT OF FAIR PAY LEGISLATION.

IT'S A HIGHLY POLITICIZED AND HOTLY DEBATED TOPIC.

- DEMOCRATS WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THAT REPUBLICANS DO NOT SUPPORT WOMEN.

- SO FAR, REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS HAVE BEEN GUMMING UP THE WORKS.

- MUCH OF THE ARGUMENT COMES BACK TO THAT UNDERLYING QUESTION OF HOW MUCH OF THIS GAP IS EXPLAINED BY DISCRIMINATION AND HOW MUCH IS EXPLAINED BY NEUTRAL FACTORS LIKE CHOICE OF A FIELD OR ATTACHMENT TO THE LABOR MARKET.

OF COURSE, THERE'S A LOT OF FIGHTING OVER THE NUMBERS AND DIFFERENT STUDIES SHOW QUITE DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES.

voice-over: THIS STATISTIC IS THE LIGHTNING ROD FOR A LOT OF THE ARGUMENT - TODAY, THE AVERAGE FULL-TIME WORKING WOMAN EARNS JUST 77 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR A MAN EARNS.

voice-over: IT'S A STATISTIC THAT'S EASY TO MISINTERPRET... AND TO MANIPULATE.

Sabina Deitrick: I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE 77 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR IS AN IMPORTANT NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S A BENCHMARK ACROSS TIME, COMPARED TO MEN.

THAT BECOMES PROBABLY A SOUND BITE THAT EVERY REPORTER CAN GRAB AND EVERY STORY CAN FOCUS ON.

AFTER THAT, THOUGH, IT'S A LOT MORE COMPLICATED.

voice-over: SABINA DEITRICK CONDUCTS RESEARCH ON ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT... AND SHE'S STUDIED THE RANGE OF FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE WAGE GAP.

Sabina Deitrick: WE LOOKED AT GENDER WAGE GAPS BY AGE GROUPS, BY INDUSTRIES, BY OCCUPATIONS ACROSS METROPOLITAN AREAS IN THE COUNTRY AND WE FOUND THAT THE PLACES THAT HAD THE BEST WAGES WERE THE FASTER GROWING METROPOLITAN AREAS.

CIVIL SERVICE MATTERS, UNIONS MATTER.

STATE LEGISLATION CAN MATTER, IF YOU'VE GOT LIVING WAGE LEGISLATION.

THOSE ARE ALL PARTS OF THE REASON FOR THE WAGE GAP PERSISTING.

voice-over: SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CONTROL FOR THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT PAY?

MULTIPLE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE WAGE GAP NARROWS TO 93 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR EARNED BY MEN.

THAT LEAVES JUST A 7-PERCENT GAP... - I, FOR ONE, WOULD NOT ACCEPT A 7% WAGE GAP AS PARITY.

SO A WELL-PAID PERSON, EARNING, TO KEEP IT SIMPLE, $100,000, IS FACING A $7,000 GAP A YEAR.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE FAMILY THAT IS STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND PAY THE BILLS, A DIFFERENCE OF $100 OR $200 A MONTH IS GOING TO BE A VERY SIGNIFICANT ONE.

- IT CAN REALLY AFFECT A FAMILY, THEIR FINANCES, AND REALLY HOW THE FAMILY FUNCTIONS AS A UNIT.

- KIDS AREN'T GOING TO HAVE THE SAME KIND OF RESOURCES, FAMILIES AREN'T GOING TO HAVE THE SAME KIND OF RESOURCES.

voice-over: THE BIG QUESTION THAT GETS BURIED IN THE POLITICIZED FRAY IS THIS: WHY?

WHY IS THE WAGE GAP EVEN WIDER FOR WOMEN OF COLOR?

WHY DO SO MANY WOMEN WORK IN LOW-PAYING SERVICE JOBS?

WHY DO WOMEN WITH COLLEGE DEGREES TEND TO PURSUE LOWER-PAYING OCCUPATIONS THAN MEN?

WHY DO THEY TEND TO HAVE SHORTER WORK HISTORIES THAN MEN?

AND WHY DO WOMEN EXPERIENCE MORE CAREER INTERRUPTIONS TO CARE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS?

THE ANSWERS REVEAL MANY GAPS, IN MANY AREAS... AND WOMEN FEEL THE COLLECTIVE EFFECT IN THEIR PAYCHECKS.

- I THINK OF IT MORE AS LOST OPPORTUNITY.

- FOR DOING AS MUCH AS YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE BRINGING HOME AS MUCH AS YOU SHOULD FOR THEM.

- IF WE'RE GOING TO VALUE THE WORK THAT PEOPLE DO, A LOT OF US ARE UNDERPAID AS IT IS.

voice-over: WHAT DOES THE WAGE GAP MEAN FOR THE FINANCIAL SECURITY OF AMERICA'S FAMILIES... AND FOR THE ECONOMIC SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE?

- FAMILIES ABSOLUTELY NEED WOMEN'S INCOME WHICH MAKES IT AN ISSUE OF FAMILY SECURITY AS MUCH AS A WOMEN'S ISSUE.

- IT'S A WOMEN'S ISSUE, IT'S A COUNTRY'S ISSUE, IT'S A CIVIL ISSUE, IT'S AN EQUALITY ISSUE.

- SO TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR ALL OF US, BUT IT IS OFTEN BOILED DOWN TO A WOMEN'S ISSUE OR A WOMEN VS MEN'S ISSUE.

WHAT IS LOST WHEN WE TAKE THE DISCUSSION TO JUST THOSE TERMS, TERESA?

- I THINK WE LOSE THAT THE FACT-- THE REALITY OF THE FACT-- IS THAT MANY DUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOMES ARE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO RAISE OUR FAMILIES TODAY, AND I KNOW VERY FEW HUSBANDS, FATHERS, SONS WHO WOULD AGREE THAT THEIR MOTHERS, WIVES, AUNTIES, OR SISTERS SHOULD BE PAID LESS FOR DOING THAT SAME AMOUNT OF WORK.

WOMEN ARE LEAVING COLLEGE WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF DEBT.

THEY ARE LEAVING-- THEY ARE ENTERING INTO THE WORK FORCE WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF AMBITION, AND THEY ARE HOPING TO LIVE FULL, STRONG, AND COMPREHENSIVE LIVES WITH THE MONEY THAT THEY MAKE.

AND SO, WHEN WE NARROW THE CONVERSATION AND SAY IT'S JUST A WOMEN'S ISSUE, IT IS NOT FAIR TO ALL OF THE MEN WHO ARE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND THEIR SUPPORT.

- AND THERE ARE MEN WHO ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE SAY ARE JUST GENDER DISCRIMINATION OR JUST A CHOICE THAT WOMEN MAKE THAT ALSO BOILS IT DOWN VERY SIMPLISTICALLY.

WHAT IS LOST IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS?

- WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY THAT IT'S A WOMAN'S CHOICE TO WORK IN A LOWER PAID OCCUPATION, YOU'RE COMPLETELY IGNORING THE FACT THAT IN THE UNITED STATES, WORKPLACES ARE SEVERELY SEX-SEGREGATED.

THERE IS HUGE SOCIAL DISINCENTIVE FOR WOMEN TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO AND THRIVE IN AREAS WHERE MEN PREDOMINATE, AND THERE IS HUGE SOCIAL DISINCENTIVES FOR MEN TO GO INTO AREAS WHERE WOMEN PREDOMINATE.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS WOMEN CLUSTERING IN OCCUPATIONS THAT DON'T PAY US WELL.

- AND SO IT'S NOT A CHOICE?

- IT'S NOT A CHOICE AND, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, MANY OF THE MEN AT THE HIGHER LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, OF COURSE, 96 PERCENT OF CORPORATIONS ARE HEADED BY MEN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CHANGE THIS PAY GAP, AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THAT HAPPEN.

- IS THE REALITY, LINDA, THAT WHEN WOMEN ARE IN COLLEGE, THAT THEY ARE CHOOSING OCCUPATIONS THAT JUST ULTIMATELY ARE NOT GOING TO PAY AS WELL AS OCCUPATIONS THAT MEN ARE CHOOSING?

- NO, WHY WOULD THEY?

WHY-- I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, WHY WOULD THEY?

IF THE LOWER-PAYING FIELDS DON'T PROVIDE, IN MANY CASES, EVEN ANNUAL LEAVE OR SICK LEAVE FOR THEM OR FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES MUCH LESS THEIR CHILDREN?

- BUT YOU'VE HEARD THAT ARGUMENT?

- I HAVE HEARD THAT ARGUMENT BUT IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

- SO IT DOESN'T PAN OUT.

- NO.

- SO WHERE ARE THEY GOING IN TERMS OF WHERE THESE WOMEN LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF WORK.

WHERE ARE WE SEEING THE DEGREES COMING FROM AND WHAT TYPE OF WORK?

- ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO GET MORE AND MORE WOMEN AND GIRLS INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN STEM FIELDS LIKE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH - SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE HIGHER-PAYING JOBS FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES, MUCH LESS THE NEED FOR OUR ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS IN THE WORLD TODAY.

WE NEED MORE PEOPLE IN STEM FIELDS, NOT JUST WOMEN, BUT MEN INDEED.

- THE CONVERSATION ABOUT NOT NECESSARILY CHOICE BUT WHAT FIELDS YOU GO INTO AND WHAT YOU DO ONCE YOU GET TO THE WORKPLACE IS ONE THAT COMES UP A LOT IN TERMS OF THE PAY GAP, WOMEN LEAVING THE WORKPLACE AND THE IMPACT THAT'S HAVING, PARTICULARLY ON WOMEN OF COLOR.

WHAT ARE WE SEEING THERE?

- WELL, WOMEN OF COLOR ARE LEAVING THE WORKFORCE NOT NECESSARILY AT THE RATES THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE, BUT THE REALITY HERE IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE-- WHEN YOU HAVE A FAMILY, AND YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT CHILDCARE OR CAREGIVING BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE WORRYING BOTH ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN AND ABOUT THEIR PARENTS, I CALL THAT THE PANINI GENERATION, RIGHT?

THOSE OF US WHO ARE CARING FOR OUR PARENTS AND CARING FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE THE CAREGIVER.

AND SO, OFTENTIMES, WOMEN'S SALARIES TEND TO BE, IN SOME CASES, LOWER THAN MEN.

SO THE CHOICE FOR THEM TO MOVE OUT OF THE WORKFORCE SOMETIMES HAPPENS.

BUT THE REALITY IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE-- WOMEN AND MEN - HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE, AND THAT CHILDCARE NEEDS TO BE READILY AVAILABLE TO MEET THE WORKFORCE THAT IS GOING ON.

THE GROWTH OF JOBS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS ACTUALLY LOOKS AT THE SERVICE SECTOR AS AN AREA WHERE THERE WILL BE GROWTH JOBS AND THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR, BUT WE DON'T HAVE CHILDCARE THAT ACTUALLY SUPPORTS WOMEN TO WORK IN THOSE FIELDS.

- AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO EXCITED, YOU KNOW, AT THE YWCA.

YOU KNOW, WE STARTED AS AN ORGANIZATION BACK IN THE 1850-- YOU KNOW, 1858, PROVIDING CARE FOR CHILDREN SO THAT WOMEN CAN GO TO WORK AND FEEL COMFORTABLE.

YOU CAN'T BE PRODUCTIVE AT YOUR JOB IF YOU'RE WORRYING ABOUT HOW YOUR CHILDREN ARE DOING.

- AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY, WELL, WHY DON'T WOMEN CHOOSE JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MORE LUCRATIVE LIKE, SAY, A CONSTRUCTION JOB, BUT TO YOUR POINT, WHERE'S THE CHILDCARE IF YOU'RE WORKING CONSTRUCTION IN THE EVENING, RIGHT?

- RIGHT, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, AS A PHYSICIAN, I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT WOMEN SHOULD GO INTO STEM, BUT I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON THE POSITIONS AND JOBS, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE JOBS THAT WOMEN ARE DOING IN THE CARING PROFESSIONS AND TEACHERS ARE VALUED MORE.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TRY AND PUSH EVERYONE INTO STEM, I MEAN, CERTAINLY I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE THING, BUT WE NEED TO VALUE THE JOBS THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR CAREGIVERS ARE DOING.

- WHAT ABOUT VALUING THE JOBS THAT WOMEN DO AT HOME AS WELL WHILE THEY'RE WORKING.

THIS WHOLE IDEA OF THE MOMMY TRACK - THAT WORD, THAT PHRASE - YOU'RE ALL LAUGHING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT PHRASE?

- WELL, HONESTLY, IT'S A MOMMY PENALTY.

WOMEN FIND THAT WHEN THEY DROP OUT OF THE WORKFORCE, OR EVEN WHEN THEY GO PART-TIME IN ORDER TO PROVIDE CARE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OR CHILDREN, IT'S VERY HARD TO GET BACK IN.

UM, IT'S A - THEY DO PAY A PENALTY FOR HAVING DROPPED OUT.

IN FACT, EMPLOYERS COULD VERY EASILY MAKE IT EASY FOR PARENTS, BOTH MOMS AND DADS, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE GOOD CHILDCARE.

HAVING A CHILDCARE FACILITY IN EVERY OFFICE BUILDING IN THE COUNTRY IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

IT IMPROVES PRODUCTIVITY.

IT'S ACTUALLY THE CEOs AT THE TOP OF THE CORPORATE STRUCTURE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE, UH, BLOCKING IT-- THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

IT'S THEIR CHOICE AND ACTUALLY, MOST WORKING FAMILIES WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT.

- I KNOW THAT WE HAVE PROBABLY A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND I WOULD INVITE YOU ALL TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT I AM JUST GOING TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION TO YOU, LINDA, AND THAT IS THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PAY GAP AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT WOMEN MIGHT HAVE THIS MOMMY PENALTY, WHAT ABOUT MEN?

MEN - SOME MEN NOW WANT TO STAY HOME, THEY WANT TO TAKE CARE - ARE THEY PENALIZED AS WELL?

- WELL, NOT REALLY, AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IN SOME OF OUR RESEARCH.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A DADDY BUMP IN THE SENSE THAT MANY MEN, WHEN THEY TELL THEIR EMPLOYERS THAT THEY ARE NOW A FATHER AND HAVE A NEW PER-- A NEW PERSON IN THE HOUSE, UM, THEY ACTUALLY GET A PAY RAISE.

SO THIS IS AN ISSUE-- - SO IT'S A DADDY PROMOTION AND A MOMMY PENALTY.

- THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.

NOW, ON-- ALSO, ON THE CHILDCARE SIDE AS WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE LOOKED AT IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES, MANY WOMEN GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND EARN DEGREES NOW IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

IT'S SO EXPENSIVE TO GO TO SCHOOL, AS WE ALL KNOW, AND YET SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES STILL DO NOT HAVE CHILDCARE AT JUST THE BASIC LEVEL, MUCH LESS THROUGHOUT THE DAY WHEN THEY REALLY NEED IT.

- WE'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT, I'M GOING TO TAKE A QUESTION FROM OUR AUDIENCE.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR US?

- YES, I DO.

SO DO YOU FEEL THAT MODIFYING - COMPANIES MODIFYING THE PATERNITY LEAVE POLICY COMPARABLE TO THE MATERNITY LEAVE POLICY WOULD PLAY A ROLE IN CLOSING THE GAP?

- WANT TO TAKE THAT, TERESA?

- SURE, I THINK - THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, BY THE WAY, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WORKPLACE POLICIES AND CHANGING PATERNITY CARE IS ONE OF THEM, HAVING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE IS A SIGNIFICANT AREA THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, BUT I THINK WE-- WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE WAGE GAP HAPPENS REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU WORK, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS THAT DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO MATERNITY OR PATERNITY LEAVE.

- I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.

- AS THE MANAGING PARTNER OF A LAW FIRM WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROMOTE WOMEN IN, BECAUSE THERE IS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THAT, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ME?

- JUST DO IT.

[laughter] I THANK YOU FOR YOU QUESTION, AND I DON'T MEAN TO MAKE LIGHT OF IT, BUT I THINK IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR MEN AT THE TOP OF THE CORPORATE LADDER TO REALLY JUST DO IT.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR YEARS NOW, AND IF WOMEN ARE DOING EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK, EVERY MAN SHOULD LOOK AT THE PAYROLLS AND SAY, WHY IS THERE A DISCREPANCY?

AND IF IT CANNOT BE DECIDED ON THE BASIS OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN GENDER, THEN THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

- THERE'S ALSO A PIPELINE ISSUE-- I'M SORRY, TERRY - THERE'S A PIPELINE ISSUE THAT IS EXISTING IN THE CORPORATE STRUCTURE AS WELL, AS FAR AS HAVING THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, HAVING PEOPLE NOT ONLY WOMEN GET INTO MIDDLE MANAGEMENT, BUT THEN THEY DON'T GET PAST MIDDLE MANAGEMENT FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS.

- VERY GOOD POINTS.

YOU KNOW, IT IS A CHALLENGE FOR ANY FAMILY TO BALANCE THOSE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS, BUT IT GETS EVEN MORE COMPLICATED IN THE CASE OF A DIVORCE.

WE MET ONE SINGLE MOTHER WHO FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ALL OF THE STARS LINE UP FOR THE PERFECT FINANCIAL STORM.

Suzy: MY ULTIMATE DREAM IS REALLY NOT TO HAVE A LAVISH LIFESTYLE.

AT ALL.

IT WOULD BE TO NOT HAVE TO WORRY.

MADELYN IS 6, TURNING 7 NEXT MONTH, AND SANTANNA IS 4, TURNING 5 NEXT MONTH.

- WE ALL ARE SMALL.

Suzy: AND THEN I HAVE MY 22-YEAR-OLD FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE.

I MET MY SOON-TO-BE EX-HUSBAND IN 2005.

AND WHEN WE GOT MARRIED, HE SAID, NOW LISTEN, I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE FINANCES, I'LL BE IN THE WORKFORCE, AND YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU LOVE.

I BECAME FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOUSE, THE BILLS, THE CHILDREN, AND EVERYTHING.

I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW MY FINANCIAL SITUATION IS DIRE.

DO YOU WANT AN ORANGE TOO?

THANK GOODNESS I'M ABLE TO GET SOME CHILD SUPPORT, THAT HELPS.

I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE SOME FOOD STAMPS.

AND A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF CASH ASSISTANCE.

MY HOME IS IN FORECLOSURE.

I'D REALLY LIKE TO STAY IN MY HOME.

MY DAUGHTER IS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND THEY HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL ABOUT 10 MINUTES FROM HERE THAT HAS SOME GREAT AUTISM SUPPORT.

- ONE, TWO, THREE... Suzy: NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN THERE... OR HERE...

THE FEELING OF PANIC, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE'S NO SAFETY NET.

SO I DECIDED BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIND A JOB, I DECIDED TO CREATE MY OWN AND BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR.

SO I CREATED THE FIRST AND ONLY LINE OF WHAT I DEEMED SHAPE WEAR FOR THE BEDROOM.

AND WHAT IT IS IS SHAPE WEAR HIDDEN IN CLASSY LINGERIE.

DID 100 UNITS, AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO EVER GOT IT, LOVED IT.

THERE'S NEVER, EVER A SOLID BLOCK, IT SEEMS, WHERE I HAVE 2 OR 3 HOURS AT ONCE OF WORK.

THEY SAID BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T MAKING ANY MONEY, WE CAN'T HELP YOU.

IF YOUR BUSINESS WAS PROFITABLE, WE'D BE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE CHILDCARE.

AND I SAID, MY BUSINESS CAN'T BE PROFITABLE UNTIL I HAVE CHILDCARE.

I FEEL LIKE I'M SITTING ON A PILE OF GOLD AND I CAN'T AFFORD THE SHOVEL TO DIG.

I'M SO MUCH IN SURVIVAL MODE...

I'M JUST LOOKING TO WHERE MY CHILDREN'S NEXT MEAL IS GOING TO COME FROM.

I EXPECTED THE DIVORCE TO BE HARD, BUT NEVER THIS HARD.

IT'S JUST... ONE OF THE HARDEST PLACES I'VE HAD TO BE.

- SUZY'S SITUATION IS DIRE, BUT IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.

WOMEN ARE EITHER CO-BREADWINNERS OR SOLE BREADWINNERS IN SIX OUT OF EVERY 10 AMERICAN FAMILIES, AND THE OCCUPATIONS AND INDUSTRIES THEY WORK IN HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON WHAT THEY EARN.

IN TALKING ABOUT LOW-PAID WOMEN, WOMEN WHO ARE EARNING MINIMUM WAGE OR SUB-MINIMUM WAGE IN SOME CASES, WHAT IMPACT, DARA, DOES THAT HAVE LONGER TERM ON THEIR ECONOMIC SECURITY?

- WELL, IT'S DEVASTATING, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT IMPACTS EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES, ALL THE WAY FROM HOW THEY CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, HOW THEY EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN, AND ALSO HOW THEY CAN LIVE IN RETIREMENT.

- AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WOMEN IN SUZY'S CASE, MANY WOMEN WHO ARE TRYING TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY - TRYING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESSES, AND YET NO BENEFITS - NO PAID LEAVE, NO PENSION-- SO HOW ARE THEY EVER GOING TO CATCH UP?

- WELL, THAT'S IT.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE LESS MONEY COMING IN THE DOOR, THAT'S 77-CENT FIGURE, AND BY THE WAY, IT'S MORE LIKE 58 OR 59 CENTS FOR LATINAS AND IT'S MORE LIKE 64 CENTS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SAVE FOR YOUR OWN RETIREMENT AT 64 CENTS TO THE DOLLAR OR EVEN 77 CENTS TO THE DOLLAR, OR SAVE FOR YOUR KIDS' COLLEGE, OR SAVE FOR A DOWN PAYMENT ON A HOUSE, AND YOU HAVE LESS MONEY COMING IN, AND AS YOU SAID, MORE MONEY GOING OUT THE DOOR - CARING FOR THE CHILDREN, HEALTHCARE FOR THE KIDS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE EMPLOYER-BASED HEALTHCARE.

IT'S-IT'S A - IT'S THIS CYCLE OF-OF-- AND IT'S NO WONDER THAT WOMEN FEEL THAT THEY JUST CAN'T BREAK OUT.

- THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO SAY, TERESA AND LINDA, THAT THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT IS OUT THERE FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HELP THEM TO BE ABLE TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND CARE FOR OTHERS, AND BE ABLE TO THEN COME BACK TO WORK, BUT WHAT IS THE REALITY OF THAT FOR LOW-INCOME WOMEN?

- WELL, FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT WAS PUT IN PLACE, AS WELL IT SHOULD HAVE, TO HELP WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND MEN TO CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

HOWEVER, THE WOMEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, FOR LOW-INCOME WOMEN, DON'T HAVE ONE JOB, THEY HAVE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR JOBS.

THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE BENEFITS OF BEING ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR FMLA, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT WORKING IN ANY ONE JOB, THE QUALIFYING - THE NEED TO QUALIFY THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THEY'RE IN THAT WORKPLACE.

SO FMLA, WHILE A GREAT LAW, IS JUST THE START TO THE LAWS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ON THE BOOKS.

AND IT DOESN'T HELP MANY OF THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT NEED ACCESS TO FMLA.

BUT AMERICA - AT THE END OF THE DAY, AMERICA NEEDS TO LIVE ITS VALUES.

WE TALK ABOUT FAMILY FIRST, WE TALK ABOUT SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS AND THEN WE JUST SAW A WOMAN WHO IS PUTTING HER FAMILY FIRST, DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE, THE SCHOOL DAY IS ONLY - IS SHORTENED - WE HAVE A 6-HOUR SCHOOL DAY AND ARE EXPECTED TO WORK AN 8-HOUR DAY.

WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE OR AFTER-SCHOOL CARE, AND WHEN WE DO, IT COSTS ADDITIONAL CO-- UH, MONEY OUT OF THE HOUSEHOLD.

AND SO THESE ISSUES JUST KEEP PILING UP AND WE HAVE TO LIVE OUR VALUES.

WE HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE THE SYSTEMS THAT WILL HELP SUPPORT AND RAISE WOMEN OUT OF POVERTY.

- YOU RAISED AN IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT WOMEN WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS, AND LINDA, YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND TRYING TO GET MORE WOMEN INTO COMMUNITY COLLEGES OR THEY'RE STEERING THEMSELVES THAT WAY.

WHAT OCCUPATIONS AND INDUSTRIES SHOULD THEY BE EDUCATED AND TRAINED FOR SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE HIGHER PAYING JOBS?

- I MENTIONED STEM BEFORE, BUT STEM ISN'T JUST THE ONLY ONE.

THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND JOBS THAT WOMEN CAN GO INTO, NOW THIS WAS A PRIMARY EXAMPLE.

TALK ABOUT LIVING YOUR VALUES.

LIVING YOUR VALUES IS ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.

AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTRY HAS BECOME - IT'S SO EXPENSIVE AT THIS POINT FOR WOMEN AND MEN TO GO TO SCHOOL.

SO THEY BASICALLY - IT COSTS THE SAME FOR THEM TO GO TO SCHOOL, BUT IF A WOMAN IS THEN MAKING LESS AS SOON AS SHE COMES OUT OF HER FIRST JOB - GOES TO HER FIRST JOB - THEN IT'S GOING TO TAKE HER A LOT LONGER TO PAY OFF HER STUDENT DEBT.

SO THIS IS AN EVER-- A NEVERENDING CYCLE, AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THAT FIRST PAYCHECK RIGHT AFTER GRADUATION, AFTER SHE HAS LEFT HER MERITOCRACY WHICH IS HER COLLEGE, SHE'S LEFT, SHE'S-- OUR STUDIES SHOW THAT SHE'S AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO MAKE LESS IN HER FIELD, SAME JOB, AND THEN IT JUST GROWS.

SO HER FIRST PAYCHECK TO HER LAST SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK IS THE GAP, AND THE GAP KEEPS WIDENING AND GROWING.

- WE REALLY HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AROUND THE WAGE GAP BECAUSE IT EXTENDS TO WHAT WE CALL A WEALTH GAP.

AND SO IF OVER YOUR LIFETIME, YOU ARE NOT-- YOU DO NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT MONEY AWAY, THEN - AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE END OF YOUR LIFE, YOU HAVE NO WEALTH TO TRANSFER.

THERE WAS A RECENT STUDY OUT THAT TALKED ABOUT THE WEALTH GAP, AND WHAT THEY SAID IS THAT WOMEN OF COLOR PASS AWAY WITH LESS THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS IN ASSETS IN THEIR NAME.

SO THAT MEANS THERE IS NO TRANSFER OF WEALTH WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES, AND THAT MEANS THAT NEXT GENERATION HAS TO START OUT FROM ZERO.

- I WANT TO TAKE A QUESTION FROM OUR AUDIENCE.

- I AM GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE SOON, WHAT STEPS CAN I TAKE SO THAT I AVOID FALLING INTO THIS PAY GAP.

- NEGOTIATION - TRANSPARENCY - TRANSPARENCY, BUT TRULY - THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION - IT'S NEGOTIATION AND BEING ABLE TO KNOW HOW TO NEGOTIATE THAT FIRST PAYCHECK.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROGRAMS OUT THERE.

AAUW HAS OUR START SMART PROGRAM, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS AND THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR-- THAT POSITION SHOULD PAY AND BE READY TO - BE READY TO FIGHT FOR IT.

- YOUR QUESTION.

- HI, YOU'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT STEM TONIGHT, BUT AS A COMMUNICATIONS MAJOR, I WAS WONDERING IF THE WAGE GAP IS THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD.

- UNFORTUNATELY, YEAH.

SADLY, THE WAGE GAP EXISTS ON EVERY PROFESSION, AND AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S EVEN WORSE, BECAUSE WHEN MEN COME AND TAKE OVER TRADITIONALLY FEMALE-HELD ROLES, THEY MAKE MORE, AND IT'S STILL A WAGE GAP.

THEY MAKE MORE THAN WOMEN, SO YES, IN COMMUNICATIONS YOU'RE GOING TO BE IMPACTED TOO.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT.

- YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING UP, AND WE DO HOPE THAT IT CHANGES VERY SOON, BUT YOUR POINT, LINDA, THAT IN THE RESEARCH THAT YOU FOUND, THAT THE FIRST YEAR OUT OF COLLEGE.

- YES.

- YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT.

YOU'VE GONE TO A GREAT SCHOOL, YOU HAVE YOUR BACHELOR'S DEGREE, AND YET, ONE YEAR OUT, YOU'RE STILL PAID LESS THAN A MAN?

THAT'S WHAT YOUR RESEARCH IS SHOWING?

- THAT'S WHAT OUR RESEARCH SHOWS.

- FOR EVERY INDUSTRY?

- FOR JUST ABOUT EVERY INDUSTRY.

THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE CLOSER, BUT THERE IS STILL A WAGE GAP, UM, AND THAT MERITOCRACY OF THAT "A" THAT YOU GOT AND THE SAME "A" THAT THE GUY GOT.

BASICALLY, THEY GO OUT TO THE JOB, AND IT JUST STARTS TO WIDEN ALREADY.

UM, I THINK IT'S-- IT THINK IT'S LIKE A $7,000 DIFFERENCE OVER-- IN THAT FIRST YEAR.

DEPENDING ON THE JOB, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, IT JUST KEEPS WIDENING.

- AND IF YOU CAN, JOIN A UNION.

UH, IF THERE'S A UNION IN YOUR WORKPLACE, WOMEN ARE PAID BETWEEN 13 AND 30 PERCENT MORE IF THEY'RE IN A UNION.

UH, AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE TRANSPARENCY OF PAY.

IF YOU CAN - IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR COWORKERS ARE MAKING IN WORKPLACES LIKE THAT, THE PAY GAP IS SMALLER.

- AND THERE ARE SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS THAT ALL OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE MENTORING YOUNG WOMEN IN VARIOUS WAYS AND GOING TO AND OF YOUR WEBSITES, I'M SURE THEY'D FIND OUT A TON OF INFORMATION ON WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

THE WAGE GAP, YOU KNOW, MAY NARROW IF WOMEN PURSUE HIGHER PAYING CAREERS.

IN ANY WORKPLACE, A WOMAN ALSO NEEDS TO ASK TO BE PAID WHAT SHE IS WORTH.

BUT A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH SAYS WHEN IT COMES TO NEGOTIATING SALARIES, WOMEN ARE HOLDING BACK.

Linda Babcock: MEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO DESCRIBE NEGOTIATION LIKE WINNING A BALLGAME, SOME KIND OF ATHLETIC CONTEST, SOMETHING YOU REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO.

AND WOMEN HAD VERY DIFFERENT EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO THINKING ABOUT NEGOTIATION.

THEY LIKENED NEGOTIATION TO GOING TO THE DENTIST.

voice-over: DR. LINDA BABCOCK IS AN ECONOMIST - AND ONE OF THE NATION'S LEADING EXPERTS ON WOMEN AND NEGOTIATING STYLES.

SHE'S ALSO THE AUTHOR OF THE ACCLAIMED BOOK "WOMEN DON'T ASK".

Linda Babcock: MY RESEARCH TELLS ME THAT WOMEN ARE ACTUALLY GREAT NEGOTIATORS.

WOMEN NEGOTIATE VERY STRONGLY WHEN IT'S ON BEHALF OF SOMEBODY ELSE.

SO IT'S NOT THAT WOMEN DON'T HAVE THE NEGOTIATING SKILLS.

IT'S JUST THAT THEY TEND TO NOT USE THEM ON THEIR OWN BEHALF.

WOMEN ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO BELIEVE THAT IF THEY JUST WORK HARD, KEEP THEIR NOSE DOWN, AND PERFORM WELL, THAT THAT BEHAVIOR WILL BE RECOGNIZED AND THAT THEY'LL BE PROMOTED ON THAT.

voice-over: DR. BABCOCK'S RESEARCH SHOWED THIS HESITANCY TO NEGOTIATE HOLDS TRUE FOR ALL WOMEN, REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, EDUCATION, OR JOB TYPE.

SO WOMEN ARE SETTLING WHEN IT COMES TO SALARIES...

WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION: WHY?

Linda Babcock: YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A WHOLE SET OF WORDS WE RESERVE FOR WOMEN WE THINK ARE TOO AGGRESSIVE.

AND I'M NOT SURE I SHOULD SAY THEM ON THE AIR, THEY'RE NOT VERY NICE WORDS.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE WORDS FOR MEN.

WE CALL MEN AMBITIOUS, AND IT'S A GOOD THING.

voice-over: DO WOMEN FACE BACKLASH IN THE WORKPLACE IF THEY'RE SEEN AS BEING TOO AGGRESSIVE?

DR. BABCOCK AND RESEARCHERS AT CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY CONDUCTED AN EXPERIMENT TO FIND OUT.

THEY VIDEOTAPED ACTORS - ONE MALE, ONE FEMALE - NEGOTIATING A RAISE AT WORK.

BOTH ACTORS USED THE EXACT SAME SCRIPT.

Both: I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A RANGE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MANAGERS GET PAID IN THEIR FIRST PLACEMENT.

I THINK I SHOULD BE PAID AT THE TOP OF THAT RANGE.

voice-over: FOCUS GROUPS EVALUATED HOW THE MAN AND THE WOMAN ASKED FOR THEIR RAISES.

Linda Babcock: PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT THE MAN WAS JUST FINE, THEY LIKED HIM, THEY WANTED TO HIRE HIM.

- I THINK I SHOULD BE PAID AT THE TOP OF THAT RANGE.

- I THINK I SHOULD BE PAID AT THE TOP OF THAT RANGE.

- BOTH MALE AND FEMALE PARTICIPANTS IN OUR STUDY, WATCHING THESE VIDEOS, BOTH THOUGHT THAT THE WOMAN WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE AND DIDN'T LIKE HER AS A RESULT OF THE NEGOTIATION.

Both: IT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME-- Linda Babcock: SO WE AREN'T JUST SAYING, OH, IT'S JUST MEN THAT ARE THE PROBLEM.

IT'S ALL OF US , IT'S HOW WE AS A SOCIETY JUDGE WOMEN THAT WE THINK ARE TOO AGGRESSIVE.

- CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PROMOTION.

voice-over: THROUGH THIS EXPERIMENT, RESEARCHERS DEVELOPED MORE EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE TO HELP WOMEN SIDE-STEP THE DOUBLE STANDARD.

IT'S A SOFTER APPROACH DR. BABCOCK CALLS A RELATIONAL STYLE.

- I ENJOY WORKING HARD.

- FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR SCRIPTS SAYS, 'I KNOW IT MIGHT NOT BE CUSTOMARY FOR SOMEONE IN MY ROLE TO BE NEGOTIATING THEIR SALARY, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU SEE MY WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE AS SOMETHING I'M BRINGING, AS AN ASSET, TO THE COMPANY.'

AND SO THAT STRATEGY IS SHOWING, LOOK, I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT HOW YOU'RE SEEING THIS AND THERE'S SOMETHING IN THIS FOR YOU.

AND PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT WAS PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE, THEY LIKED THE WOMEN, AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF OUR SUCCESS STORIES.

AND WHEN I SAY THAT WAS A SUCCESS STORY, I SORT OF HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE ON ONE HAND, WE DID FIND SCRIPTS THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL FOR WOMEN.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS IS TOTALLY NOT FAIR OF OUR SOCIETY TO HAVE TO MAKE WOMEN WORK SO HARD TO DO THE SAME THING THAT MEN ARE NOT BEING JUDGED VERY HARSHLY FOR AT ALL!

IF WE WANT TO REALLY REDUCE THE WAGE GAP OR ELIMINATE IT ENTIRELY, WE HAVE TO STOP DOING THAT.

WE HAVE TO DECIDE THAT WE CELEBRATE ASSERTIVE WOMEN, THAT WE LIKE THAT, THAT WE REWARD IT, THAT WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THAT, AND STOP JUDGING THEM SO NEGATIVELY.

THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, OR ELSE WE'LL NEVER GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE AS A SOCIETY WITH TRUE EQUALITY.

- WE'RE JOINED NOW BY A WOMAN WHOSE NAME IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE FIGHT FOR FAIR PAY.

WELCOME, LILLY LEDBETTER.

- THANK YOU.

- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

- THANK YOU.

- LET ME START BY ASKING YOU WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL STORY HAS REALLY STRUCK SUCH A CHORD AND REINVIGORATED THE CONVERSATION ABOUT FAIR PAY IN THIS COUNTRY.

- MY STORY STRUCK A CHORD WITH ALMOST EVERY HOUSEHOLD AROUND THE NATION, ACTUALLY AROUND THE WORLD, BECAUSE MY STORY IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

AND THAT'S HOW I BECAME THE POSTERCHILD FOR EQUAL PAY, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO DRASTIC THAT IT TOUCHED EVERY LIFE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

- WELL, LET'S JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL STORY.

IN 1979, YOU STARTED AT GOODYEAR TIRE.

YOU WERE THERE FOR 20 YEARS.

IN 1998, YOU FOUND A SLIP OF PAPER IN YOUR MAIL.

IT SAID SOMETHING.

WHAT DID IT SAY?

- IT HAD MY PAY VERSUS THE THREE WHITE MEN WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME JOB, JUST A DIFFERENT SHIFT-- EXACT, IDENTICAL JOB, AND THEY WERE MAKING-- I WAS MAKING 40 PERCENT LESS THAN ANY ONE OF THEM.

AND THE FIRST THING THAT POPPED IN MY MIND WAS MY OVERTIME PAY-- HOW MUCH MONEY I HAD BEEN SHORTCHANGED, THAT I HAD LEGALLY EARNED, AND WAS ENTITLED TO UNDER THE LAW.

THE NEXT THING I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS MY RETIREMENT IS BASED ON WHAT I'M EARNING, MY 401K WAS TEN PERCENT MATCHED BY SIX PERCENT STOCK AND TODAY MY SOCIAL SECURITY ALL DEPENDED ON WHAT I EARNED-- - AND WHEN YOU CALCULATED THE NUMBERS AND YOU TALK ABOUT IN YOUR BOOK, IT WAS OVER A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.

YOU EVENTUALLY WON A LANDMARK CASE-- A THREE MILLION DOLLAR CASE-- BUT THEN THAT WAS OVERTURNED BY AN APPELLATE COURT.

YOU WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT AND THEN THE SUPREME COURT DECIDES TO UPHOLD THE APPELLATE CASE.

WHY YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT-- AGAIN, YOU WERE SO CLOSE TO RETIREMENT AT THAT STAGE RIGHT THERE IN 1998.

YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED THERE.

YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED SO MANY PLACES ALONG THE WAY, AND YOU KEPT FIGHTING.

WHY?

- BECAUSE ONCE THAT VERDICT CAME DOWN FROM THE SUPREME COURT, IT WAS NO LONGER ABOUT LILLY LEDBETTER, IT WAS ABOUT MY DAUGHTER, MY GRANDDAUGHTER, AND ALL OF THE FAMILIES ACROSS THIS GREAT NATION.

AND I HEAR THE STORIES DAY AFTER DAY OF HOW SHORTCHANGED FAMILIES ARE, AND TODAY, WOMEN THAT ARE SENIORS, THEY'RE LIVING TEN YEARS, ON THE AVERAGE, AFTER THEIR SPOUSES, AND THEY, MOST OF THE TIME, HAVE TO MOVE INTO THEIR CHILDREN'S HOMES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT STAY INDEPENDENT.

- WELL, YOU WENT THROUGH THE HALLS OF CONGRESS IN TELLING YOUR STORY, AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE PAYING ATTENTION.

HOW MANY OF THEM WERE MEN?

- A LOT OF THEM.

A LOT OF THEM WERE, AND THEY UNDERSTOOD.

THEY REALLY DID.

THEY BACKED ME A HUNDRED PERCENT.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS SO GRATIFYING ABOUT THE LILLY LEDBETTER BILL?

IT WAS SPONSORED AND CO-SPONSORED BY BOTH PARTIES-- REPUBLICANS AS WELL AS DEMOCRATS.

- AND THEN, OF COURSE, IT WAS A MAN WHO WAS THE PERSON WHO MADE THAT LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT HIS FIRST ACT.

PRESIDENT OBAMA DID THAT IN 2009, AND YET STILL, EVERY WEEK, YOU'RE ON A PLANE.

EVERY WEEK, YOU'RE FIGHTING THE SAME FIGHT.

WHEN WILL LILLY LEDBETTER HAVE TO STOP FIGHTING?

- AS LONG AS MY HEALTH HOLDS OUT, I WILL BE OUT FIGHTING FOR EQUAL PAY AND TALKING TO COLLEGES, BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY WHEN THEY START OUT, THEY NEED TO MAKE VERY SURE THAT THEY ARE INTERVIEWING AND BEING HIRED BY A COMPANY THAT WILL PAY THEM FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE IT UP.

IT'S USUALLY A PERCENTAGE.

SO THEY NEED TO START OUT WITH WHAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.

- WHO IS JOINING YOU IN THIS FIGHT TODAY?

WHAT MEN ARE JOINING YOU IN THIS FIGHT TODAY?

AND ARE SOME OF THE YOUNG MEN ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUSES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY RALLYING BEHIND YOU AS WELL?

- ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR MOTHERS.

UH, I HEAR A STORY AFTER STORY RELATED ABOUT THEIR MOTHERS BEING THE ONE WHO TRAINS ALL THE MEN WHO COME INTO THE COMPANY.

AND SHE'S FASTER AND BETTER THAN THE MEN, BUT YET THEY'RE MAKING TWICE AS MUCH AS SHE IS.

PLUS, A LOT OF TIMES, THEY LAY THOSE WOMEN OFF, AND THEY DON'T GET TO RETIRE.

- THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO DO, BUT WHAT DO YOU SEE AS CHIEF AMONG THE CAUSES THAT NEED TO REALLY HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, TO MAKE THIS FIGHT NO LONGER FOR LILLY LEDBETTER OR FOR WOMEN?

WHAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE?

- WE NEED MORE COMPANIES TO STEP UP AND TREAT PEOPLE EQUITABLY ON THEIR JOBS, AND WE NEED MORE BILLS AND LAWS IN CONGRESS-- PAYCHECK FAIRNESS HAS NOT PASSED ANY TIME THAT IT'S BEEN VOTED ON.

AND IT'S UP TO THE CONGRESS TO GET THESE LAWS PASSED TO GIVE WOMEN AND THE MINORITIES THE TOOLS THAT THEY CAN USE IN ORDER TO GET WHAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.

- LILLY LEDBETTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR COWORKERS ARE EARNING?

OR DO YOUR EMPLOYERS DISCOURAGE THAT KIND OF DISCUSSION IN THE WORKPLACE?

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WAGE SECRECY.

- ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT PERSISTENT WAGE GAP IS WAGE SECRECY POLICIES.

WAGE SECRECY IS AN ILLEGAL, UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE WHEREBY AN EMPLOYER EITHER PROHIBITS OR ACTIVELY DISCOURAGES EMPLOYEES FROM DISCUSSING THEIR SALARIES.

IF YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR WORKPLACE ARE MAKING, HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

THERE'S A LOT OF ONLINE RESOURCES.

YOU CAN GO TO WEBSITES LIKE PAYSCALE.COM, SALARY.COM, MONSTER.COM.

SO DO A LITTLE ONLINE RESEARCH FIRST, BUT REALLY, THE BEST WAY TO KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE GETTING PAID WHAT THE GUY SITTING NEXT TO YOU IS GETTING PAID IS TO ASK THE GUY SITTING NEXT TO YOU.

IF YOU ARE RETALIATED AGAINST BY YOUR EMPLOYER FOR DISCUSSING WAGES IN THE WORKPLACE, CALL THE LOCAL OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD AND LOOK INTO FILING A COMPLAINT.

IF YOU WORK FOR A FEDERAL CONTRACTOR, CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.

IT IS STILL A SUBJECT THAT WOMEN ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT.

THEY'RE FEELING THE IMPACT IN THEIR POCKETBOOK, BUT WAGE SECRECY IS A VERY EFFECTIVE STRATEGY AT KEEPING WOMEN FROM EARNING EQUAL PAY.

EVERYBODY WHO CARES ABOUT WOMEN'S EQUALITY, AND JUST EVERY WOMAN WHO CARES ABOUT PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, NEEDS TO GET BEHIND THOSE LAWS.

- WHEN YOU STEP OUT OF THE WORKFORCE, YOU MISS OUT ON WAGES, BUT YOU ALSO MISS OUT ON COMPANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO A RETIREMENT FUND, AND YOU'LL HAVE LOWER SOCIAL SECURITY PAYOUTS AT THE END OF YOUR CAREER.

SO NOW TALKING ABOUT WOMEN AND THE SPAN OF THEIR WORKING YEARS, THE IMPACT THAT THE WAGE GAP HAS ON THAT, WE NEED TO ALSO LOOK AT WHAT THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE OVER THEIR LIFETIME.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN TERMS OF THE PAY GAP, TERRY, WHEN IT COMES TO WOMEN'S RETIREMENT?

- SO WHAT WE SEE, AS I SAID BEFORE, IS WOMEN CLUSTERING IN LOWER WAGE JOBS.

80 PERCENT OF THOSE SUB-MINIMUM, TIPPED WAGE JOBS ARE OCCUPIED BY WOMEN, AND THOSE JOBS DON'T HAVE HEALTHCARE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE 401K, THEY DON'T HAVE THE PENSION, SO THERE'S NO SAVINGS.

AND SO YOU'RE PAYING OUT OF YOUR POCKET FOR YOUR OWN HEALTHCARE, YOUR KIDS' HEALTHCARE, LESS MONEY COMING IN, MORE MONEY GOING OUT.

YOU GET TO THE END OF YOUR WORKING CAREER, AND YOU DON'T HAVE SAVINGS TO FALL BACK ON.

AND YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY IS LESS.

BY THE TIME A WOMAN IS 75 YEARS OLD, UM, FULLY 90 PERCENT OF HER MONTHLY INCOME MAY COME FROM SOCIAL SECURITY.

IT MAKES HER VERY INSECURE.

WHAT IF SOME DISASTER HAPPENS, ESPECIALLY A DISASTER HEALTH ISSUE?

- AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT EQUAL PAY AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IT TRACKS SOCIAL SECURITY YOUR ENTIRE WORKING LIFE.

I WANT TO SEE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE HAVE A RETIREMENT PLAN?

CONTRIBUTE TO A RETIREMENT PLAN.

SO THIS AUDIENCE, OF COURSE, IS ONE THAT'S VERY ENGAGED IN THIS SUBJECT AND VERY INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC, BUT, LINDA, WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN - WORKING WOMEN - DO NOT HAVE A RETIREMENT PLAN.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WOMEN AS THEY'RE STUDYING, AS THIS YOUNG WOMAN HAD ASKED EARLIER, SHOULD GO INTO TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT A COMPANY OR IN A FIELD WHERE THEY'LL HAVE A PENSION, WHERE THEY'LL HAVE SOME TYPE OF SECURITY WHEN IT COMES TO RETIREMENT SAVINGS.

- YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, WHAT-- AFTER THE AGE OF 65, TWICE AS MANY WOMEN LIVE IN POVERTY OR ARE - NEAR THE NEAR-POVERTY LEVEL.

AND SO THAT IS WHY IT IS SO CRITICAL TO GET TO - JUST AS THE PROGRAM STATED - TO KNOW WHAT YOUR JOB IS WORTH.

RESEARCH.

GET THE NEGOTIATION PIECES TOGETHER.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GOING AND LOOKING AT RETIREMENT PLANS AS I TELL MY PEOPLE IN UM, IN AAUW, CONTRIBUTE NOW.

IT'S COMPOUND INTEREST.

JUST START NOW, EVEN IF IT'S THE COST OF A CUP OF COFFEE THAT YOU START TO PUT INTO YOUR 401K.

GET IT STARTED NOW.

- DARA, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS OTHER ISSUE WHICH IS WOMEN ARE LIVING LONGER.

YOU KNOW THIS AS A PHYSICIAN, THIS IS A GOOD THING THAT WE'RE LIVING LONGER, BUT IT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE MONEY.

HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT IS THAT HAVING ON RETIREMENT SECURITY FOR WOMEN?

- WELL, THAT IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND THE REALITY IS, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL SECURITY IS A LIFELINE FOR SO MANY WOMEN, PARTICULARLY THE WOMEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IN THE LOWER WAGE JOBS.

IT'S CRITICAL THAT THEY HAVE SOCIAL SECURITY, BECAUSE WITHOUT IT, THEY WOULD BE IN POVERTY, AND WE HAVE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, BE REALISTIC AND THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE THREATS THAT ARE OCCURRING POTENTIALLY TO SOCIAL SECURITY, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE'S TALK ABOUT INCREASING THE AGE AND ALSO DECREASING THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES.

THAT'S GOING TO BE TRAGIC FOR MANY OF THE WOMEN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF MAKING SURE THAT THESE WOMEN WHO THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES HAVE HAD SOME CHALLENGES, BUT AT LEAST WHEN THEY GET TO SOCIAL SECURITY AGE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.

- ALL RIGHT.

YOUR QUESTION?

- I WAS IN MANAGEMENT BEFORE I RETIRED, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED WAS THAT THE MEN SPENT AT LEAST 20 PERCENT OF THEIR TIMES SELLING THEMSELVES TO UPPER MANAGEMENT AND TO EACH OTHER.

AND, UM, I OBVIOUSLY SAT AT MY DESK AND WORKED HARD FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, AND I THINK WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SELL OURSELVES AND OTHER WOMEN NEED TO HELP US DO THAT.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU NEED-- HEAR SOME NEGATIVE STATEMENTS FROM WOMEN ABOUT WOMEN.

- YOU PROBABLY HAD, AND THIS IS WHAT I'D LIKE DARA TO TALK ABOUT, A MENTOR OR SPONSOR PERHAPS THAT YOU WERE GUIDING PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WERE GUIDING YOU.

HOW IMPORTANT, DARA, IS HAVING A MENTOR, HAVING A SPONSOR, HAVING SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU THROUGH THE UPPER RANKS TO THEN EVENTUALLY GET TOWARD EQUAL PAY?

- IT IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT, AND EVEN BEFORE WE GET TO A MENTOR AND SPONSOR, IT'S IMPORTANT TO START WITH CHILDREN VERY EARLY IN THEIR LIVES AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL HERE ON THIS EARTH TO DO WHATEVER WE DO, BUT THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN AS IT RELATES TO OUR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.

AND SO I THINK THAT STARTS WAY BEFORE COLLEGE, WE HAVE TO START VERY EARLY WITH CHILDREN, AND THEN OF COURSE AS WE GET OLDER, WE HAVE TO INSTILL IT, SO MENTORSHIP AND SPONSORSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT, HAVING A ROLE MODEL.

THAT'S WHY WE NEED MORE WOMEN AT THE CEO SUITE.

WE NEED MORE WOMEN LEADERS SO THAT THEY ARE AT THE TABLE, BUT NOT JUST AT THE TABLE, YOU NEED TO HAVE A VOICE AS WELL.

AND YOU DO HAVE TO SPEAK UP AND SAY SOMETHING OF SUBSTANCE SO THAT PEOPLE WILL BE MORE WILLING TO LISTEN TO YOU, BUT YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN TO BE THERE AND ALSO TO HAVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE.

- IF WE DON'T ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES, NOBODY WILL ADVOCATE FOR US.

SO WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER TO DO AS WOMEN ACROSS THE BOARD IS LEARN TO ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES AND THEN OPEN THE DOOR AND BRING OUR SISTERS AND OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SONS AND OUR HUSBANDS ALONG WITH US.

IT'S SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND WE HAVE GOT TO DO IT, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NOBODY ELSE THERE.

MEN HAVE BEEN SITTING IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP AND HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO ELIMINATE THE WAGE GAP.

- CAN I GET YOUR QUESTION, PLEASE?

- IF WOMEN ARE NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY IN THEIR OWN NEGOTIATIONS AND SELF-ADVOCACY, WHO ELSE CAN WE BRING INTO THE CONVERSATION?

IS IT MEN?

- SO I THINK IT COULD BE MEN.

I THINK ACTUALLY DARA MENTIONED THIS, WE NEED TO HAVE SPONSORS AS WELL AS MENTORS.

WE NEED TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN THE ROOM, AND THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

YOU NEED TO IDENTIFY HOW YOU WANT TO BE SEEN AND START IDENTIFYING YOURSELF IN THOSE TERMS AND THEN YOU NEED TO ASK PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF.

- THIS IS VERY GOOD ADVICE AND YOU HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME IN CORPORATE AMERICA THAT WOMEN NEED TO HAVE - AND ALL PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE - A MENTOR AND A SPONSOR, SOMEONE WHO'S TALKING ABOUT YOU AND BRINGING YOUR RESUME IN, BUT WHAT ABOUT LOW-INCOME WOMEN WHO ARE MAKING BARELY MINIMUM WAGE.

WHERE ARE THEIR SPONSORS?

- IT SHOULD BE THE LEGISLATORS.

WE NEED BETTER LEGISLATORS.

THERE IS A HUGE DISCONNECT... [applause] REALLY A HUGE DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT THE VOTERS WANT AND WHAT OUR LEGISLATORS ARE DELIVERING TO US.

- RIGHT, AND IF THE LEGISLATORS DID GET INVOLVED, THEN WE WOULD ATTACK THE MINIMUM WAGE RIGHT AWAY.

I MEAN, MAKING $7.25 AN HOUR?

UM, YOU CAN'T LIVE ON THAT.

AND I THINK THERE ARE STUDIES THAT SHOW IF YOU INCREASE THAT TO THE 10.10 THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, 15 MILLION WOMEN WOULD BE IMPACTED POSITIVELY.

SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE, THAT'S A POWERFUL CHANGE.

- ALRIGHT, SO ALL WOMEN NEED TO THINK ABOUT FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT AS WELL, BUT IF YOU PLAN TO STEP OUT OF THE WORKFORCE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO CARE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU HAVE EVEN MORE TO CONSIDER.

Carrie Coghill: WHEN WE LOOK AT PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THEIR WORKING YEARS, AND SAVING FOR RETIREMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS THIS ISSUE OF PARTING WITH THAT MONEY TODAY FOR SOME GOAL THAT APPEARS TO BE SO FAR INTO THE FUTURE.

AND SO, WE TEND NOT TO DO IT, WOMEN EVEN MORE SO.

EVERY CHOICE THAT IS MADE ALONG THE WAY, FROM ONCE YOU START WORKING, HAS AN IMPACT ON YOUR RETIREMENT.

LEAVING THE WORKFORCE FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WANT TO START A FAMILY; THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE TIME OFF.

ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS SUGGEST IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THAT DECISION, A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK ABOUT, WELL, WILL WE BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY THE MORTGAGE AND THE TWO CARS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, FOR ME TO STOP WORKING FOR AWHILE, BUT WHAT THEY NEVER SEEM TO SAY IS, WELL, CAN WE AFFORD TO SAVE FOR MY RETIREMENT WHILE I'M NOT WORKING?

ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS I SEE, ACROSS THE BOARD, IS REALLY WHERE A WOMAN IS RELYING ON HER SPOUSE IN ORDER TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, PLAN FOR RETIREMENT.

IF FOR SOME REASON THE MARRIAGE ENDS, WELL, IF I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE WORKFORCE ALL THESE YEARS, AND I'VE RELIED ON MY HUSBAND TO SAVE, AND ALL THE MONEY IS IN HIS NAME, NOW I HAVE TO GO OUT AND RECREATE MY LIFE AT A VERY DIFFERENT POINT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT MAKES SENSE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR MARITAL SITUATION, IT MAKES SENSE FOR A WOMAN TO HAVE MONEY, IN HER OWN NAME, EARMARKED FOR RETIREMENT.

- DARA, I WONDER IF THERE ARE POLICIES WITHIN THE WORKPLACE THAT CAN BE CHANGED, INNOVATIONS THAT MIGHT HELP, TO WOMEN WHO WANT TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT, BUT HELP TO END THE WAGE GAP ALTOGETHER.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INNOVATIONS THAT YOU SEE IN THE WORKPLACE THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL?

- WELL, I THINK YOU COULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR WOMEN TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR RETIREMENT PLANS.

PAY THEM A FAIR WAGE SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE MORE MONEY TO CONTRIBUTE.

THAT'S REALLY THE BIG DEAL.

I MEAN, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OVER 400,000 DOLLARS IN A WOMAN'S LIFETIME THAT HAS BEEN LOST.

YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK IF YOU WERE AVERAG-- PUTTING IT IN OVER YEARS INTO YOUR RETIREMENT, SO YOU KNOW, I THINK START BY PAYING THE WOMEN A FAIR WAGE.

- ARE THERE SPECIFIC POLICY CHANGES, TERRY, THAT YOU THINK COULD ALSO HELP?

- YEAH, WE NEED TO EXPAND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.

WE KNOW WE CAN DO IT, WE KNOW IT'S AFFORDABLE.

THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM IS SO STRONG, THAT IT HAS NEVER MISSED A PAYMENT IN 77 YEARS.

AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN PARTICULAR, ONE OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL EXPANSIONS IS TO PROVIDE A CAREGIVER CREDIT.

SO WHAT HAPPENS, PART OF THE WAGE GAP IS WOMEN HAVE TO DROP OUT OF THE WORKFORCE IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN OR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS ARE BASED ON YOUR LIFETIME OF EARNINGS.

WELL, YOU'RE WORKING HARD BUT NOT BEING PAID IN PROVIDING CARE FOR YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.

THE SOCIAL SECURITY CAREGIVER CREDIT - THERE'S A BILL THAT'S BEEN INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS - AND WHAT IT WOULD DO, SOCIAL SECURITY WOULD SAY, OKAY, WE'LL JUST - WE'LL JUST ATTRIBUTE MAYBE THE MEDIAN WAGE TO WOMEN WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT OF THE WORKFORCE, THEN THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS ARE NOT ARTIFICIALLY DEPRESSED SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WORKED FOR NO MONEY DURING THOSE YEARS.

- SO THAT WOULD HELP THEM.

I WANT TO TAKE A QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.

YOUR QUESTION?

- WE KNOW THAT WOMEN MAKE UP ABOUT 16 PERCENT OF THE C-SUITES AND 16 PERCENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN LARGE CORPORATIONS, WE ALSO KNOW FROM STUDIES THAT COMPANIES THAT HAVE WOMEN IN THE C-SUITE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER RETURN ON AVERAGE AND BETTER SALES AND SO IT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE FOR US TO GET WOMEN TO THE TOP.

SO HOW COULD MEN AND WOMEN BOTH DO THIS TOGETHER?

- WHAT DO YOU THINK?

- WELL, YOU KNOW, IT-- IT'S A QUESTION I ASK EVERYDAY, BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT IS THERE.

IT'S BEEN THERE FOREVER, BUT WE'RE STILL FIGHTING THE SAME FIGHT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR YEARS.

I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE ANSWER.

- WELL, HONESTLY, ONLY FIVE PERCENT OF CEOS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE WOMEN, AND LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE 95 PERCENT OF MALE CEOS HAVE BEEN DOING TO US FOR 30 YEARS.

AVERAGE PAY FOR MEN HAS GONE DOWN.

THAT'S WHY SO MANY MEN ARE SUPPORTIVE OF EQUAL PAY, BECAUSE THEY SEE THE WOMEN IN THEIR FAMILIES - THEY NEED THAT MONEY.

THEY NEED THAT 400,000 TO 2 MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE WOMEN ARE NOT GETTING BECAUSE THEIR OWN WAGES ARE GOING DOWN.

MEANWHILE, CEO PAY IS CURRENTLY AT 300 TIMES THE ORDINARY WORKER.

THAT SHOULD BE A CRIME.

WE SHOULD JUST SIMPLY NOT MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.

THAT IS PART OF WHY THE WAGES OF MEN ARE GOING DOWN.

- THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

[applause] IS THERE SOMETHING, LINDA, THAT IS BEING DONE ON THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL THAT - WHERE WOMEN AND MEN ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE.

- YES, BUT I DO WANT TO JUMP ON ONE THING THAT BOTH DARA AND TERRY SAID.

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL IN THIS ROOM SHOULD CONSIDER.

IN YOUR 401Ks, YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT COMPANIES YOU'RE INVESTING IN, AND ASK YOUR PEOPLE WHAT - HOW MANY CEOs ARE ON YOUR BOARD.

HOW MANY WOMEN ARE ON YOUR BOARD?

HOW MANY CEOS ARE IN THE C-SUITE.

THESE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.

- PEOPLE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR MONEY.

AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT INVESTING, WHERE ARE YOU SHOPPING?

WHERE ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR MONEY?

I WANT TO ASK ONE MORE-- HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.

YOUR QUESTION, SIR?

- THANK YOU.

SO HOW DO WE ADVANCE PAY EQUITY FOR COMPARABLE OR PARALLEL KINDS OF CAREERS WHEN ONE IS FEMALE-DOMINATED AND THE OTHER IS MALE-DOMINATED.

- YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I THINK THE OTHER INTERESTING PART OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WAGES.

WHEN MEN COME AND TAKE JOBS THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY FEMALE JOBS, THEY GET PAID HIGHER.

- THAT'S INTERESTING.

- I MEAN, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG.

- TERESA, WHAT ABOUT FOR WOMEN WHO SAY BECAUSE THIS IS EXISTING, I'M GOING TO START MY OWN JOB, SO THEN I'LL GET TO BE PAID WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE PAID.

DOES IT WORK FOR THEM WHEN THEY DO THAT?

- I WISH I COULD SAY THAT IT WORKED FOR THEM THAT WAY.

IT DOESN'T.

WOMEN, OFTENTIMES, UNDERVALUE THEMSELVES IN THE PROCESS, BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS START VALUING CAREGIVING JOBS FOR WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SOCIETY AND THE ROLE THAT THEY PLAY, AND WE NEED TO REASSESS WHERE THOSE PRIORITIES ARE AS A WHOLE.

- FINAL THOUGHTS, LINDA, ON WHAT CAN BE DONE PARTICULARLY AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL?

- WELL, AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL, IT REALLY IS PAYCHECK FAIRNESS.

IT IS THE TRANSPARENCIES THAT'S REQUIRED.

PEOPLE NEED TO LOOK AT THEIR LEGISLATORS AND ASK THEM IF THEY'RE VOTING AND HOW THEY'RE VOTING FOR PAYCHECK FAIRNESS.

THAT IS A PRIMARY PIECE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND DONE FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO GET THAT PASSED.

- ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING HERE TONIGHT AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS, A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED AND ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, AND WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

SO THAT HAS TO BE THE FINAL WORD ON THE SUBJECT.

I WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS AND LILLY LEDBETTER FOR BEING HERE, AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE HOPE YOU'LL CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AT WORK, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN GOVERNMENT.

TOGETHER, WE CAN SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF CLOSING THE GAP.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[applause] AND WATCH WEB EXTRAS FROM THIS PROGRAM AT: Announcer : "CLOSING THE GAP: 50 YEARS SEEKING EQUAL PAY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY-- THE EDEN HALL FOUNDATION SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PITTSBURGH AND SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

THROUGH THE LENS OF WOMEN'S ISSUES, IT CONTINUES THE STEWARDSHIP OF SEBASTIAN MUELLER IN THE AREAS OF HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND THE ARTS.

AND BY-- CHATHAM UNIVERSITY IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA HAS EMPOWERED WOMEN FOR 145 YEARS, ADVANCING WOMEN'S CAUSES WITH THEIR CENTERS FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND THE NEW CHATHAM UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S INSTITUTE, OPENING IN 2015.

AND THESE ADDITIONAL DONORS: