Equal Pay Day 2026 arrives on March 26 — a symbolic reminder that, on average, women in the U.S. must work over three extra months into the year to match what men earned in the prior year. This date reflects a stubborn gender pay gap: women earn 81 cents for every dollar men earn among full-time, year-round workers, dropping to 76 cents when factoring in all workers (including part-time and seasonal). For women of color and other marginalized groups, the disparities are even