Preview

Equal Pay for Equal Work

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1993 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Equal Pay for Equal Work
Equal Pay for Equal Work For years, women have been fighting for equality in everything that they do. If one takes a close look at the issues surrounding the differences between men's and women's roles in the workforce, one will notice that women tend to be one step below on the “status” or “importance” ladder. In American society, the woman has always been viewed traditionally in the role she should play in the home; that she is the “homemaker” or “caretaker”. Even when women break from the stereotype of “housewife” and join the workforce, they still are not given an equal opportunity at acquiring a job that is seen to be as advancing or of garnering higher recognition. Women deserve the same pay for the same work performed by their equal male counterparts due to the fact that many women have become the sole providers of their families, and there nothing a man can do that a woman cannot do, their physical and mental abilities overlap, plus several other myths. Men, in the 1940s, were the head of the house; their role was to take charge of everything, and they made all of the family's choices. Men were supposed to build lives for their families. Married women in the '40s were supposed to clean the home, bear children, and keep the house running efficiently. Late in 1941, these roles were disrupted; the United States entered into World War II, the men were sent away to the war, and the women had to fill the roles of the men in the workforce. Everywhere newspapers had advertisements for help wanted and jobs. Millions of American women took the responsibility to fill the newly-available positions (Rowland 71). This created a new image for women by the middle of the 1940s, with the support of the government the women were encouraged to fill the spots of the men who had gone over seas (Rowland 75). A survey was conducted by the Department of Labor after the end of World War II to determine if women would have liked to keep their jobs. The survey found that only 20


Cited: Fisanick, Christina, ed. Feminism. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. - - -. Working Women. Detroit: Green haven Press, 2008. Hopkins, Fran. “Single-Parent-Family Stats from the 2000 U.S. Census.” Families.com. Feb 2006. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://single-parenting.families.com/blog/single-parent-family-stats-f rom-the-2000-us-census>. Peters, Lawrence. “Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972.” Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. 1999. Rowland, Debran. The Boundaries of her Body: The Troubling History of Women 's Rights in America. Naperville: Sourcebook, Inc., 2004. Schlam, Lawrence. “ Major Acts of Congress, Equal Pay Act of 1963”. Enotes. 2009. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://www.enotes.com/major-acts-congress/equal-pay-act/print>. United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. “Women 's Health USA 2005”. Rockville: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005. United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. [USDL]. “Employment Status of Women and Men in 2005.” Monthly Labor Review. Nov 2005. 27 Sept. 2010. <http://www.dol.gov/wb/factsheet/gf-eswm05.htm> - - -
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hca 340 Final Paper
    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Hca 340 Final Paper

    Very simply, it is a process by which we look into the future, paint a…

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Women's Role In World War II
    • 80 Words
    • 1 Page

    Women's Role In World War II

    During World War Two, millions of American men were drafted into the army and participated in the war in Europe and in the Pacific. As millions of American men continued to join the war, there was a shortage of workers back in America, as men had previously held these jobs. The amount of job vacancies in America skyrocketed. Therefore, in the United States, millions of women stepped up and filled the jobs the men had left(Colman Women in Society 32).…

    • 80 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Women in the 1940's vs. Women in the Millianial
    • 1143 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Women in the 1940's vs. Women in the Millianial

    This period (1940’s) was a time of many tumultuous changes for the nation in general, such as World War 1 and the Great depression. Each of these factors significantly influenced women’s roles in both the family and the work force. Expectations of women were greater and more settled in the 1940’s. Young women then were expected to marry at a young age, usually around eighteen years of age. Although you may think that that was too young of a time to marry, in my opinion it kept women from running around with many kids and no father. At least they were a family. Women were expected to work hard in factories and domestic services. However, most women were having duties at home doing chores, babysitting, educating their children and run the house while the husband was not there. Society thought that doing these things would be a “successful women” (Sophia Cassey,) which they were somewhat right. If you look at these women, they became very successful hardworking women, making money and still taking care of home and nothing has changed.…

    • 1143 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Guys Just Want to Have Fun
    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Guys Just Want to Have Fun

    "Statistics & Data." US Department of Labor Women 's Bureau. 17 Oct. 2006. 21 Mar.…

    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rosie the Riveter
    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Rosie the Riveter

    In December 1941, the United States' economy was still recovering from the hard-hitting depression. The Great Depression reinforced the system of women as the backbone of the family, who was to stay home and take care of the household duties and raise the children. These duties often had to be carried out through unsophisticated means, as the benefits of technology had not yet entered the average home. In 1941, one-third of all households were still cooking with wood or coal; and water often had to be carried from an outside source. (1) The hardships that women faced day in and day out began to take their toll, but all too often there was no other option. Most women that did have jobs were either unmarried or were forced out of economic necessity. In 1940, out of the 11.5 million employed women, the majority of women would quit their jobs once married. (2) The traditional mentality of the population was that married women did not belong in the workplace. A 1936 poll showed that eighty-two percent of the American population felt that if a woman was married and her husband had a job, she did not need to work. (3) Women's roles were defined by society who told them that their main concern needed to be their family responsibilities. Once the United States entered the war following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, demands for enormous mobilization of troops left millions of jobs vacant. The war material already being produced for our European Allies was not sufficient for the new role that this country assumed. More material was needed, yet the bodies to make them…

    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    1950s vs Today
    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages

    1950s vs Today

    Throughout history the roles of women have changed dramatically. Since the 1950’s, women have slowly but surely evolved into the individuals one sees today in public offices, law firms or even the five o’ clock news. However, this evolution did not occur over night. Although women in the 1950’s and today have dealt with similar stereotypes, today life has greatly improved because women aren’t as pressured to get married, are taken more seriously in the business world, and are even making as much or more money as men.…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    The Effects of the Equal Pay Act of 1963
    • 1915 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The Effects of the Equal Pay Act of 1963

    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…

    • 1915 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare and Contrast Women at Home in Ww1 and Ww2
    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Compare and Contrast Women at Home in Ww1 and Ww2

    Before World War I and World War II, women at home had the roles of maintaining duties for their family and children, such as cleaning, caring for the house, and cooking for the family. They were more likely judged by their exquisiteness rather than their ability. Just before World War I began, women were beginning to break away from the traditional roles they had played at home. Throughout both World Wars, women in the United States faced similar challenges, however, during the Second World War; women were trusted with much more freedom and responsibility than they had in the First World War.…

    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Equal Pay Act
    • 869 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Equal Pay Act

    There are many laws and regulations that govern how the American work force is compensated. In most cases, the laws are set forth to protect the employee against unfair compensation practices. Many of the issues Americans face today are the same issues that existed many years ago. Issues involving labor relations, unions, and men versus women are many of the same issues we face today involving compensation. The Equal Pay Act is on of great interest to me as it covers compensation and how it relates to men and women. This act is one that many people rely heavily upon in today 's workforce.…

    • 869 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Equal Pay For Women
    • 1407 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Equal Pay For Women

    Women work just as hard as men during their working hours. Women who worked hard for their education and job are treated unfairly with their wage. Almost all jobs for women pay less than what a man earns doing the same job. For instance, “In researching this issue at the Center for Gender Studies, we found only four occupational categories for which comparison data were available in which women earned even a little more than men: special education teachers, order clerks, electrical and electronic engineers and food preparation occupations (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)” (Lips 309-310). Many occupations for women do not offer equal or more pay than men receive. The opportunity for women to earn even a little more than men in equal positions is limited to four categories of occupations. Not all women want to fit themselves into those careers. More occupations should be available for women at equal pay of men. Women do not deserve to be paid less than men in equal positions. This is causing women to be upset because they believe even though they have the education, experience and deserve to succeed in the workplace, they face the challenge to receive the same wage as men do. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was a positive step forward for women in the workplace, but no major changes to benefit working women have been implemented since then. Another example states "It's been 51 years since the Equal Pay Act was passed, and women still aren't getting equal pay for equal work," says Lisa Maatz, vice president of government relations at the American Association of University Women. "The whole point of the Paycheck Fairness Act would have been to tighten up the gender pay gap"(Little). Equal pay has been a problem in the United States for a long time. Over the years, many have rallied to make it better for women in the workforce, but the…

    • 1407 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Discrimination Against Women
    • 1635 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Discrimination Against Women

    For many centuries, women have had to fight for their rights. In today’s society, women are still discriminated against in the workplace. Generations of women have sacrificed for woman today to have the opportunity to be able to have a voice on what they want to do in life. In the workforce, women make up 47% of the United States workforce (“Women's Bureau (WB) - Quick Facts on Women in the Labor Force in 2010"). This is almost half but yet they are paid less than men. Men are often bound to receive a promotion, transfer, and compensation before women. The broader problems of obvious discrimination against women in the workforce have been dealt with for centuries. Across the world, women are discriminated against in the workforce through family…

    • 1635 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Gender Equality In The Workforce
    • 1615 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Gender Equality In The Workforce

    Over the past hundred years, women’s participation in the workforce has grown significantly. Today’s women are getting college degrees which was not common before the mid-twentieth century. More of them than ever are taking jobs that were originally run by men. Many women are going into medicine, engineering, and law which was nearly impossible fifty years ago. Their ability to get into these fields allows them to pursue careers they could never before. However, there is a major gender pay gap. Men are still to this day paid way more than women. Although men have a large impact on our nation’s workforce, women perform job tasks just as effectively, therefore they are completely worthy…

    • 1615 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Women's Rights In The Workplace Essay
    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Women's Rights In The Workplace Essay

    Women in the workplace are reported to make “seventy nine cents for every dollar earned by men” (IWPR.org). The reason for this twenty-one percent gap can vary. Women who do a job that is considered to be a “man only” position, could cause women to make less than men. Even though the female employee may be equally as qualified. This reason mainly happens in construction sites, or other demanding jobs. Another reason may be just that the employee is a female. However, managers and other employees should open their eyes and realize that there are no “man only” jobs, and that women should be paid as equally as men in any…

    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Gender Inequality In The Workplace
    • 1229 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Gender Inequality In The Workplace

    It is no secret that for centuries, women have faced years and years of discrimination, inferiority to men, and being viewed as less than human by society. Women have had to fight for their right to vote amongst other legal rights, and for their independence from their husbands. “When American women began to enter the labor force in the nineteenth century, the relatively few jobs open to them were highly segregated by gender” (Spain 1992: 14). The first women’s labor union began to form by the end of the 1930’s. Women’s activism began to increase, leading to a new reform in paid work and the rise in feminism in the midst of a new labor movement (Gregory 2003: 25). By the 1940’s, the transition of the housewife to that of a working woman began to trend. Women began to venture out of the home in search of employment and educational opportunities to help provide for their families, since their…

    • 1229 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Women And Flexibility In The Workplace
    • 1234 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Women And Flexibility In The Workplace

    Women in the workplace have become a commonality since the economy has taken a downturn that requires both parents to work outside the home to provide financially for their families. In 1961, labor force participation among women was below 30%, compared to more than 75% in 1996 (Gazso, 2004). Although women have garnered jobs, they experience inequality in the workplace. Such inequality is referred to as gender inequality, which signifies the obvious or hidden disparities among individuals based on the performance of gender. The mindset that a woman belongs in the home taking care of household duties and the children, women are not as strong as men, and women are sensitive and cannot adequately manage people are factors that affect their pay within the workforce.…

    • 1234 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics