LABOR

• Latinas represented 7,525,000 or 5.1% of the labor force for 2003. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, unpublished 2003)
• Latinas represented 3.0% of all people employed in management, professional, and related occupations. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, unpublished 2003)
• From 2005-2006, Latinas were responsible for over 40% of labor growth (Hispanic Trends 2006)
• Only 77.5% of Latinas live above the poverty line compared to 91% White women, 75.9% African American women, and 87.6% of Asian women. (Pew Research)
• The median annual earnings of Latinas in 2004 were $23,200, whereas White woman earned $30,900, African American women earned $27,600, and Asian women earned $33,100.
• Latinas earn 88.2% as much as Hispanic men; compared to African-American women’s earning of 90.7% of African-American men’s and that of White women’s 78.2% earnings of White men’s. (U.S. Department of Labor, Differences in Women’s and Men’s Earning by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2002)
• Latina owned firms is estimated to be 553,618 as of 2004, employing 320,000 people, and generating nearly 44.4 billion in sales. (Center for Women’s Business Research, Hispanic Women-Owned Businesses in the U.S., 2004)
• Latina owned firms have grown by over 64% from 1997-2004. (Center for Women’s Business Research, 2004)
• Latinas working full-time average a weekly pay of $419, significantly less than White and African-American women. African-American women earn $505 and White women earn $584.  Latinas earned 28.3% lower than White women. (U.S. Department of Labor, Highlights of Women’s Earnings in 2004)
• Latinas earning growth between 1979 and 2002 was 9.7% much less than 22.2% of the earning growth for African-American women. (U.S. Department of Labor, Highlights of Women’s Earnings in 2002)
• 84% of Latina entrepreneurs have growth as a primary goal; compared to 86% African-American, 71% Asian, and 80% Caucasian. (Center for Women’s Business Research)
• Latinas are grossly underrepresented on Corporate Boards.  They hold 0.3% of all board seats and represent 0.08% of all executive officer positions in Fortune 1,000 companies.  Of 141 Latino board members, only 21 are women, and of 110 Latino executive officers only eight are women. (HACR Corporate Governance Study, 2002)
• Latinas encounter a “concrete ceiling” in Corporate America.  Even though there are more Hispanic women professionals and the number of businesses owned by Hispanic women is one of the fastest growing sectors, Hispanic women continue to be excluded from contributing as board members and executive officers of the largest companies in the nation. (HACR Corporate Governance Study, 2002)
• Latinas knowledge about savings and retirement is significantly less than other groups. Latinas are most likely to rely on Social Security for retirement. (U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau, 2005)
• In 2002, Latinas earn 54.0% of what White men earn. African-American earn 66.8%, White women earn 75.1%, and Asian-Pacific Islander women earn 77.0% of White men.” (Gender Wage Ratio, U.S. Census & IWPR 2003)
• Latinas only hold 0.3% of all board seats in Fortune 1000 companies. (The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility)
• At the rate of progress achieved over the past ten years, women will not achieve wage parity with men for more than 60 years. (Gender Wage Ratio, U.S. Census & IWPR 2003)
• Women of Hispanic origin are one of the fastest growing groups of women in the U.S. labor force. From 1990 to 2001, their total employment increased 76% — from 3.8 million to 6.7 million, and is projected to increase another 37% to 9.2 million by 2010. (Howard J. Fullerton, Jr. and Mirta Toosi, “Labor force projections to 2010: steady growth and changing composition,” Monthly Labor Review, November 2001)
• Women are twice as likely as men to face poverty in retirement. (National Council of Women’s Organization)
• Women represent 1,600 of the daily new business owners. (Barletta, Martha. Marketing to Women, 2003.)
• Women and children represent the bulk of the 34.6 million people that lived below the official poverty threshold in 2002. (National Council of Women’s Organization)
• 141 Hispanics serve as board members in the US, however, only 21 or 14.9%, of them are Latinas. (The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility)
• 30.4% of women Board Directors are women of color. (Catalyst, 2006)
• Women hold only 13.7% of Fortune 500 seats. Women of color hold only 18.1% of the total seats held by women and the figures break down as follows: 74% are held by African American women, 17% by Latinas and 8.4% by Asian Pacific Islander American women. (Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, 2003)
• Only 1% of the world’s assets are in the name of women (Women’s Learning Partnership, 2004)
• Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to live in poverty, 21.4% of Hispanics were living in poverty in 2002. (U.S. Census, March 2002)
• There are more than 1.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the country that generate more than $200 billion in annual gross receipts and employ more than 1.3 million people. (U.S. Census)
• Hispanics make up 12.9% of the US work force (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2005)