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Wage gap is worse for Latinas, study says

Hispanic women are earning less than their Hispanic male counterparts.

Hispanic women who work as cleaners make 54 cents on the dollar compared to male janitors, the study found. Courtesy of FRONTLINE

Throughout Massachusetts, women earn 81 cents on the dollar compared with men. Yes, some of this disparity can be explained by career choice and time taken off to care for children, but the divide is still evident—and even more apparent for minorities.

Hispanic women who clean offices and houses for their living make just 54 cents on the dollar compared with what all male janitors make, The Boston Globe reported; they make only 59 percent of what their Hispanic male counterparts make.

A study from the University of Massachusetts Boston looked at the gender wage gap for Hispanic women. It’s noted that since many Hispanic workers are immigrants, their limited education and English skills could be contributing factors to the disparity.

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But, the study shows, there’s still a persistent wage inequality compared to Hispanic men working the same jobs.

Rita Diaz of Dorchester has felt this inequality first hand. She told the Globe that in her search for a better job, she’s often told the employer is specifically looking for a man.

Read the full Globe story here.

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