Fighting for Fairness: The Wage Gap in America

EQUALIT FIGHTING for FAIRNESS WOMAS UALITY The Wage Gan in America It's 2014, the Digital Age. You might think that discrimination against women in the workplace is over, that it disappeared alongside corded phones and typewriters. But astonishingly, women are still paid less than men for equal work. Let's take a look at the history of the wage gap and the state of it today. WOREN'S TRADE UNION LEACUE EW YORK Jobs are posted separately for men and women, making it nearly impossible for women to get leadership positions. ? The National Women's Trade Union League forms with the main Women earn 59 cents for every dollar that men earn. Ironically, during this same year the Equal Pay Act is passed, which makes wage discrimination illegal.! goal of diminishing the wage gap. Before the 1960s The Equal Pay Act is expanded and more than $26 million is paid to 71,000 women in back pay for lost wages due to discrimination. ? 1903 1963 The court case Schultz v. Wheaton Glass Co. ends in a ruling that jobs need to be "substantially equal" but not "identical" to be protected by the Equal Pay Act. Businesses cannot, for example, change a woman's title just to pay her less than a man doing the same work, ? Back in the Day ... The battle for equal pay has been fought for over a century. The court case Corning Glass Works v. Brennan ends in a ruling that disallowed the argument that lower wages are at the "going market rate."? Regardless of all the legislation and court cases, for every dollar a man makes, a woman makes 64 cents. Is It Any Better? Yes and no. While there is still a wage gap, it is smaller. And the issue is currently in the spotlight again with proposed legislation. TODAY: This is a substantial difference, considering that in more than Full-time female workers only make 50% of households. women are breadwinners, 77 cents for every dollar that male workers, make. %2$ That's a gap of 23% - $431,000 BREAKING IT DOWN Wages lost by the average woman 65 years and older due to the earnings gap The wage gap means that in a year, a full-time female worker loses $5,000 in wages due to this inequity. Disputing the Difference Some people don't buy into the wage gap. They think that the difference in women's pay is brought about by things other than discrimination, like life choices. According to these dissenters: The wage gap can mostly be explained by the amount of hours men and women work. A time use survey done by Department of Labor shows that men work an average of 5% longer than women. Women tend to gravitate toward lower paying industries. Since women prefer jobs that include less travel, regular hours and more personal fulfillment, they are likely to give up higher pay for these trade-offs Women who have or plan on having children tend to make less. And this isn't because of discrimination. Women will A wage gap is only shown in statistics because older women are included. Older women, who are still willing to work jobs subject to past discrimination, stay in lower paying positions. But younger women are making just as much as men because of advancements in social justice and equality. accept lower pay in exchange for flexible schedules, while men with children will push for higher paying jobs to make more money for their families, 5 What's Being Done? With decades of differences in pay between men and women, it seems that there is more going on here than just lifestyle choices or rigged statistics. So what's being done now to finally put an end to the inequality? EQUAL PAY ACT TITLE VII UNDER THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT Passed in 1963, this act was the first to declare equal pay for equal work. This act, passed in 1964, still allows women to file claims that go directly to court regarding pay discrimination. EQUAL PAY EQUAL Ř WORK LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT EXECUTIVE ORDER 11246 This law makes it possible for women to file complaints regarding an unfairness in pay 180 days after a discriminatory paycheck is issued." This EO prohibits federal contractors from dis- criminating in employment decisions - such as pay, raises and promotions – based on gender." Location Matters While the overall average is 77%, the wage gap varies from state to state. PERCENTAGE OF MEN'S SALARIES BEST STATES FOR WAGE EQUALITY WORST STATES FOR WAGE EQUALITY Wyoming 65.5% California 86% Maryland West Virginia 85.2% 72.6% D.C. Arizona 86.8% 94.8% Alaska Louisiana 73.9% 72% SOURCES 1. http://www.whitehouse.gov 2. http://www.infoplease.com 3. http://www.pewresearch.org 4. http://www.iwpr.org 5. http://www.forbes.com 6. http://www.eeoc.gov 7. http://www.dol.gov 8. http://www.pewstates.org INFO GRAPHIC WORLD DESIGNED BY www.lnfographicWorld.com 1964 to 1971 1970 0861 1974