White House reports 56% of hires are women, pay gap narrowed
The White House says President Joe Biden has filled about 56% of his senior White House staff positions with women, including about 36% coming from racially and-or ethnically diverse backgrounds
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.President Joe Biden has filled about 56% of his senior White House staff positions with women, including about 36% who come from racially and-or ethnically diverse backgrounds, according the White House.
The Biden administration published the gender and pay analysis of its staff on Thursday as it delivered a required annual report to Congress listing the title and salary of every White House office employee.
The administration said the data shows it is “the most diverse administration in history" and also has only a narrow pay gap between men and women on staff.
The average salary for women in the administration is $93,752, while men average $94,639, representing about a 1% pay gap.
That compares with a 37% gender pay gap in President Donald Trump’s administration during his first year in office, while President Barack Obama s pay gap was 16% at the same point in his presidency, according to an American Enterprise Institute analysis of staff salaries.
“In alignment with the president’s commitment to diversity and pay equity, the White House has taken significant steps to ensure the White House staff reflects the diversity of the country and the highest standards of economic and social justice for all,” the White House said in a statement accompanying its report to Congress.
Overall, about 60% of Biden's White House staff is female. Women make up about 50.8% of the American population, according the 2019 U.S. Census, and they make up a 47.0% share within the labor force as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Biden, 78, during the campaign sought to fend off suggestions that an older white man wasn't the right person for the presidency at a moment when the nation is grappling with issues like racial injustice and huge pay gaps between men and women.
He sought to frame himself as a transitional candidate who would bake equity into his personnel and policy decisions as president. He picked Kamala Harris for vice president and has pledged to name the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court if given the opportunity.
Biden last week signed an executive order to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility and hired the White House's first chief diversity and inclusion director.
The most powerful members of Biden's inner circle — chief of staff Ron Klain, counselor Steve Ricchetti, senior adviser Mike Donilon, senior adviser Anita Dunn and legislative affairs director Louisa Terrell — are all white.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.