Equal Pay Day highlights gender pay gap & calls for action

Equal Pay Day highlights the ongoing disparity in earnings between men and women in the Australian workforce.

The day, observed on 19 August 2025, draws attention to the fact that, on average, women work approximately 50 more days into the financial year to earn what men did in the previous year. This figure, calculated from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, represents the difference between the full-time base salary wages of women and men, commonly referred to as the national gender pay gap.

Data and drivers

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) identifies three principal factors contributing to the pay gap: gender-based segregation in occupations and industries, unequal distribution of caring and family responsibilities, and workplace discrimination.

Recent WGEA figures indicate that 84.7% of Australian employers still have gender pay gaps falling outside the target range of plus or minus 5 per cent. This disparity is evident even in sectors that are either women-dominated or considered gender-balanced.

WGEA Chief Executive Officer, Mary Wooldridge, commented on the ongoing campaign aiming to address these gaps at the workplace level and stimulate meaningful discussions on corrective measures:

"Equal Pay Day is an important day to start a conversation about the gender pay gap at your workplace and the plans to reduce it."

She explained that employees are now able to investigate their own workplace's actions to address the drivers of the gender pay gap, understand why disparities exist, and explore what remedial steps can be taken.

"Employees can now find out what your employer is doing to address the issues that drive your workplace's gender pay gap, why it exists and what can be done about it. For workplace leaders, Equal Pay Day is a chance to consult with your employees, let them know you are serious and discuss how to take meaningful action on gender equality," Ms Wooldridge said.

Tools and resources

This year, WGEA introduced a new calculator designed to assist employers in identifying their own Equal Pay Day, based on their specific workplace gender pay gap statistics. Thousands have already used this tool to determine the date for their respective employers.

Employees are encouraged to utilise the calculator and examine their employer's data via the WGEA Data Explorer, a platform designed to make workplace statistics transparent and actionable.

Ms Wooldridge urged employees to actively engage with these resources, highlighting the ongoing work that remains in bridging gender-based wage differences. She also referenced recently introduced legislative requirements intended to further this agenda:

"Every industry in Australia, including those that are women-dominated or that are gender-balanced, has a gender pay gap in favour of men. Recent legislative changes, including publishing individual employer gender pay gaps and to require large employers to select Gender Equality Targets, aim to motivate employers to understand their gender pay gap and take meaningful action to address it. Equal Pay Day reminds us that there is still significant work to do to achieve equal and fair workplaces for all people."

Legislative action

Recent regulation changes mean that large employers are now required to publish details of their gender pay gaps and set Gender Equality Targets. These actions are designed to create accountability and encourage workplaces to adopt targeted interventions. WGEA has positioned these measures as catalysts for employers, regardless of the sector, to engage with and rectify the underlying causes of their pay gaps.

Equal Pay Day, as WGEA emphasises, serves both as a marker of the progress made and a reminder of the challenges ahead in achieving pay equity for all workers across Australia.