The issue
Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the federal Securities and Exchange Commission developed regulations requiring public companies to report the ratio of CEO pay to median employee pay. While the SEC pay ratio is meant to expose excessive executive compensation and give shareholders a way to assess pay disparities, NRF believes it is a flawed measure that unfairly singles out industries like retail that have high percentages of part-time, seasonal and entry-level employees.
Why it matters to retailers
NRF believes the retail industry’s high reliance on part-time and seasonal workers distorts retailers’ pay ratios. The SEC guidelines require that pay be computed and reported for all employees on an annualized basis rather than the hourly rate they are paid, even when employees work part-time. For retail, the median wage appears artificially low because the industry employs nearly twice as many short-term, seasonal, part-time and young workers as other industries. Retail’s high percentage of entry-level workers also skews the numbers.
NRF advocates for a fair pay ratio
NRF research found the SEC methodology is seriously flawed. Failing to adjust for the large number of part-time and seasonal workers inflates retail’s ratios by an estimated 31 percent over typical employers. NRF bases this figure on calculations across the industry comparing median earnings of all retail employees with a more realistic comparison that factors out part-time workers.
The SEC rules distort the true picture of retail jobs and retail pay and reveal significant flaws and gaps in government data on the industry.
- Part-time workers are critical to the retail business model. Consumer demand shifts daily, weekly and seasonally, making it almost impossible for retailers to serve customers only full-time employees.
- About 30 percent of retail workers are part-time. Retail employs 18 percent of all U.S. part-time workers and 23 percent of working teenagers – the most common type of part-time worker.
- Part-time employment offers a flexible choice to millions of Americans and the opportunity to make money and build skills. Most part-time employees (75 percent) are part-time by choice. They may be in school, have another full-time job or be a primary caregiver.
- Part-time wages are not equivalent to full-time wages due to differences in experience and skill.
Pay Ratio Distortion in Retail: Get the Facts on Retail Jobs from National Retail Federation