Equal Pay for Women
University of Maryland Global Campus
Introduction
Since 1963, when Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, women have been fighting to
close the gender pay gap that exists in the workforce. Even though progress has been made in the
past 50 years, more work is needed. Moreover, women today are still only earning eighty cents
on the dollar compared to men (Sbrocchi, 2019). With the rapid growth of women in the
workforce, and the 20 percent gender pay gap, women have been forced to focus attention on the
disparity in compensation; thus, forcing the government to take a harder look at the
discrimination laws in hopes that companies will eliminate the bias between men and women.
Research studies on gender pay, found that many women experience a disparity in pay based on
their degrees, their family life choices, and the career paths they choose (Kugelberg, 2006).
Many studies have explored the factors of gender stereotypes in the workplace and how these
stereotypes and biases cause women to be reluctant to negotiate for higher salaries. Companies
are adjusting their pay scales for women based on their work performance; not by their gender or
factors "other than sex" (Tufarolo,2016), however women continue to experience differences in
their average wages. Women’s careers continue to be impacted by the glass ceiling effect and
often face prejudice due to their previous salary history. Research has shown that progress has
been made, however, more work needs to be done to narrow the gender wage gap.
The Equal Pay Act
In 1963 President John F. Kennedy signed into law an amendment to the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 called the Equal Pay Act (Causevic, 2018). The law was one of the first
anti-discrimination laws that addressed the wage differences between women and men. As more
, women entered the work force the gender pay gap widened. Women have been paid significantly
less than men, thus, creating a gate way for legislation to reevaluate the wage gap issue. The
premise of the Equal Pay Act is that men and women should be paid equally for the same work
(Causevic, 2018). The Equal Pay Act was designed to forbid employers from paying men and
women different wages for performing the same types of jobs with the same skill set, thereby
attempting to eliminating the gender pay bias of salaries between women and men. The Equal
Pay Act states: That no employer shall discriminate on the basis of sex by paying employees of
opposite sexes different wages for equal work on jobs that require near-identical skill, effort, and
responsibility, and are performed under equal working conditions (Tufarolo, 2016, as citied from
the U.S.C. § 206). This establishes a prohibition on gender discrimination within the work force
and requires employers to pay women and men equally. It is arguably the most robust piece of
federal legislation that currently exists to combat pay discrepancies despite its criticisms
(Causevic, 2018). Fifty-five years later, the gender pay gap remains a substantial problem in
employer-employee relationships nationwide (Sbrocchi, 2019).
The Glass Ceiling Effect
As women try to advance in their career, they are faced with promotional obstacles that
keep them at a standstill (Fapohunda,2018), thus not allowing them to break the barrier known as
the “glass ceiling.” Ganiyu, Oluwafemi, Ademola, and Olatunji (2018) state that, women
advance marginally to certain levels incorporate executive cadre before they experience a 'glass
ceiling' that impedes their prospect of attaining senior executive positions. In agreement with
Ganiyu, et al (2018), authors Siniscalco, Damrell, and Nabity (2014), state that the glass ceiling
represents a barrier that limits women's advancement in their field, restricting women from
having it all. These authors explain that companies look at the differences in education, work
University of Maryland Global Campus
Introduction
Since 1963, when Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, women have been fighting to
close the gender pay gap that exists in the workforce. Even though progress has been made in the
past 50 years, more work is needed. Moreover, women today are still only earning eighty cents
on the dollar compared to men (Sbrocchi, 2019). With the rapid growth of women in the
workforce, and the 20 percent gender pay gap, women have been forced to focus attention on the
disparity in compensation; thus, forcing the government to take a harder look at the
discrimination laws in hopes that companies will eliminate the bias between men and women.
Research studies on gender pay, found that many women experience a disparity in pay based on
their degrees, their family life choices, and the career paths they choose (Kugelberg, 2006).
Many studies have explored the factors of gender stereotypes in the workplace and how these
stereotypes and biases cause women to be reluctant to negotiate for higher salaries. Companies
are adjusting their pay scales for women based on their work performance; not by their gender or
factors "other than sex" (Tufarolo,2016), however women continue to experience differences in
their average wages. Women’s careers continue to be impacted by the glass ceiling effect and
often face prejudice due to their previous salary history. Research has shown that progress has
been made, however, more work needs to be done to narrow the gender wage gap.
The Equal Pay Act
In 1963 President John F. Kennedy signed into law an amendment to the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 called the Equal Pay Act (Causevic, 2018). The law was one of the first
anti-discrimination laws that addressed the wage differences between women and men. As more
, women entered the work force the gender pay gap widened. Women have been paid significantly
less than men, thus, creating a gate way for legislation to reevaluate the wage gap issue. The
premise of the Equal Pay Act is that men and women should be paid equally for the same work
(Causevic, 2018). The Equal Pay Act was designed to forbid employers from paying men and
women different wages for performing the same types of jobs with the same skill set, thereby
attempting to eliminating the gender pay bias of salaries between women and men. The Equal
Pay Act states: That no employer shall discriminate on the basis of sex by paying employees of
opposite sexes different wages for equal work on jobs that require near-identical skill, effort, and
responsibility, and are performed under equal working conditions (Tufarolo, 2016, as citied from
the U.S.C. § 206). This establishes a prohibition on gender discrimination within the work force
and requires employers to pay women and men equally. It is arguably the most robust piece of
federal legislation that currently exists to combat pay discrepancies despite its criticisms
(Causevic, 2018). Fifty-five years later, the gender pay gap remains a substantial problem in
employer-employee relationships nationwide (Sbrocchi, 2019).
The Glass Ceiling Effect
As women try to advance in their career, they are faced with promotional obstacles that
keep them at a standstill (Fapohunda,2018), thus not allowing them to break the barrier known as
the “glass ceiling.” Ganiyu, Oluwafemi, Ademola, and Olatunji (2018) state that, women
advance marginally to certain levels incorporate executive cadre before they experience a 'glass
ceiling' that impedes their prospect of attaining senior executive positions. In agreement with
Ganiyu, et al (2018), authors Siniscalco, Damrell, and Nabity (2014), state that the glass ceiling
represents a barrier that limits women's advancement in their field, restricting women from
having it all. These authors explain that companies look at the differences in education, work
