The Effects of the Equal Pay Act of 1963
Running head: THE EFFECTS OF THE EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963 1
The Effects of the Equal Pay Act of 1963
Abstract On June 10th, 1963, John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, which prohibits wage discrimination based solely on gender. Despite the passing of this bill, women today are still not earning equal pay for equal work. Currently, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 states that an employer in any business cannot discriminate between employees based on gender by paying wages less than an employee of the opposite sex. There are many causes of the gender pay disparity, many can be explained away by level of education, experience, and job tenure. It is the job of a human resource department to protect the employees of the business. Human resource departments may actually hire more women because of the effect of the Equal Pay Act. Men tend to ask for higher wages than women, and it may be more beneficial to the company to hire a woman asking less money. Another way human resource departments can protect female employees is to break the stereotype of “women’s jobs” in their companies and businesses.
THE EFFECTS OF THE EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963 3
The Effects of the Equal Pay Act of 1963
On June 10th, 1963, John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, which prohibits wage discrimination based solely on gender. Despite the passing of this bill, women today are still not earning equal pay for equal work. Some say, at the current rate, women will not achieve equal pay until the year 2050. Even after 50 years, human resource departments are still deeply affected by the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and have yet to overcome many obstacles preventing equal pay.
Staring in the early 1940’s, due to World War II, there were a large amount of American women taking jobs in war businesses. In 1942, the National War Board asked the
The Effects of the Equal Pay Act of 1963
Abstract On June 10th, 1963, John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, which prohibits wage discrimination based solely on gender. Despite the passing of this bill, women today are still not earning equal pay for equal work. Currently, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 states that an employer in any business cannot discriminate between employees based on gender by paying wages less than an employee of the opposite sex. There are many causes of the gender pay disparity, many can be explained away by level of education, experience, and job tenure. It is the job of a human resource department to protect the employees of the business. Human resource departments may actually hire more women because of the effect of the Equal Pay Act. Men tend to ask for higher wages than women, and it may be more beneficial to the company to hire a woman asking less money. Another way human resource departments can protect female employees is to break the stereotype of “women’s jobs” in their companies and businesses.
THE EFFECTS OF THE EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963 3
The Effects of the Equal Pay Act of 1963
On June 10th, 1963, John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, which prohibits wage discrimination based solely on gender. Despite the passing of this bill, women today are still not earning equal pay for equal work. Some say, at the current rate, women will not achieve equal pay until the year 2050. Even after 50 years, human resource departments are still deeply affected by the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and have yet to overcome many obstacles preventing equal pay.
Staring in the early 1940’s, due to World War II, there were a large amount of American women taking jobs in war businesses. In 1942, the National War Board asked the
References: Brunner, B. (n.d.). The Wage Gap: A History of Pay Inequity and the Equal Pay Act | Infoplease.com. Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. | Infoplease.com. Retrieved July 29, 2013, from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/equalpayact1.html Byars, Lloyd L., and Leslie W. Rue. Human resource management. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2010. Print. Giapponi, C. C., & McEvoy, S. A. (2005). The Legal, Ethical, and Strategic Implications of Gender Discrimination in Compensation: Can the Fair Pay Act Succeed Where the Equal Pay Act has Failed?. Journal Of Individual Employment Rights, 12(2), 137-150. Manzano-Diaz, S. (2010). The Women’s Bureau. Human Rights, 37(3), 12. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA). (n.d.). EEOC Home Page. Retrieved July 29, 2013, from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/epa.cfm "Women 's Bureau - Quick Stats on Women Workers, 2010." United States Department of Labor. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2013. .