Eliminating the Gender Pay Gap

Changing Tide

Now, women who are primary breadwinners are less interested in the non-pay aspects of the job and more interested in the pay they receive. Also, the value women place on their contributions to organizations are as valuable as male peers. However, organizations have not changed their perceptions as fast, leading to a situation in which women find that they have changed but their work situation is lagging, thereby creating the need to review possible inequity.

The good news is that women are making progress in the job market, thanks to their:

• education levels
• union participation
• awareness of civil rights legislation

College education

Today, there are more women than men with a four-year college degree in the labor force and they now earn 57% of bachelor’s degrees. However, they continue to lag men in earning computer and engineering degrees.

The AAUW reports that women continue to be under-represented in physical sciences, technology, engineering, and math jobs, making up only 26 percent of workers in STEM occupations. Female representation in these careers must increase to overcome the gender pay gap.

Unions

Unions are also helping to close the gender pay gap. Five of the six largest unions in the U.S. have a majority female membership. According to the AFL-CIO, unions have been successful in helping female members raise their wages to 88 cents for every male dollar.

Civil rights legislation

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) receives and investigates cases related to two major pieces of legislation:

• The Equal Pay Act of 1963
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

The EEOC receives about 1,000 charges each year that fall under the Equal Pay Act. Over 90% are filed by women.