Idaho gender wage gap widens

BOISE — The gap between how much men and women earn in the Gem State widened in 2010.

The salary disparity between men and women increased by 2.2 percent during the previous year, according to data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey showed the full-time wages of Idaho women were 77.6 percent of what men earned. Idaho was ranked 36 among states for the ratio of salaries between the sexes.

State lawmakers previously passed a resolution to bring attention to the disparity and established Equal Pay Day on April 28. The date is recognized nationwide to mark how far the average woman would have to work into the year to catch up to what the average man earned in the previous year.

What should be done to narrow the wage gap?