FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 2, 2021

CONTACT:
MayorPress@sandiego.gov

SAN DIEGO As part of his ongoing commitment to transparency and data-based decision-making, Mayor Todd Gloria released the City of San Diegos first-ever pay equity study. The study, conducted by a local, independent data analytics firm, Analytica Consulting, is one of the first of its kind to be publicly released by a municipality in the nation.

My administration is working toward creating a more equitable place for our dedicated, diverse workforce. Understanding the Citys challenges with pay equity is the first step and it wont be our last, said Mayor Gloria. Ive long been committed to ensuring equal pay for equal work and I intend to make sure the City lives up to this value.

The study identifies some of the issues behind the gender and racial and ethnic pay gaps among City of San Diego employees and provides actionable recommendations to address these issues.

In 2019, City employees of color made an average of 20.8% less than white employees and female City employees earned an average of 17.6% less than male employees. While the gender pay gap has narrowed slightly in the internal data analyzed from 2011 to 2019 (18.8% to 17.6%), the racial and ethnic pay gap has grown (17.0% to 20.8%).

These findings do not provide direct evidence of deliberate gender or racial bias in the City. The analysis concludes that 90% of the pay gaps are explained by factors such as occupation, whether an employee has children and overtime.

Members of the Citys Performance & Analytics Department shared findings from the 2020 Pay Equity Study during todays City Council meeting.

Chief Innovation Officer and Director of the Performance & Analytics Department Kirby Brady said: This landmark study gives us additional insight on pay discrepancies and actionable steps to lead us to a future that is fair, equitable, and representative of the community we serve.

A Citywide pay equity study is set to be conducted every three years. A copy of the 2020 study is here.

Throughout his career, Mayor Gloria has been a champion and outspoken advocate for equal pay for equal work. He authored the Citys Minimum Wage and Earned Sick Leave Ordinance, which provided pay raises to thousands of workers.

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