Earning Differences by Gender

1137 Words3 Pages

Despite women outnumbering men in U.S. colleges and the implementation of legislation like the 1963 Equal Pay Act the pay differences persist. According to some the pay gap persists because:
• Men are more likely to pursue college majors and advanced degrees in fields that lead to higher-paying careers.
• Women are getting graduate degrees, but not necessarily in fields that give the best salaries.
Discrimination remains a factor and it is difficult to document and measure.
• Women on average are working fewer hours than men, often to care for children or other family members.
The wage gap narrowed steadily through the 1980s and 1990s but the convergence slowed in the early 2000s. In 1980, women earned 60.2 cents for every $1 men earned which increased to 71.6 by 1990. In 2011, women earned 77 cents for every $1 men earned which decreased to 76.5 cents in 2012. The younger women in the work force might have a fighting chance according to the most recent data reflect that younger workers are making inroads. In 2012, women between 15 and 24 years old earned 88 cents for every dollar that men did; the amount fell to 81 cents for women ages 25 to 44, and 74 cents for women ages 45 to 64. However, analysts caution that the raw wage-gap figure inadequately reflects other factors that impacts the wage gap. According to them the pay comparison fails to capture instances where a man might negotiate for high salary than women, or instances when women decide to forgo salary in favor of fulfilling work and more flexible schedules.
Case in point -A 30-year-old web designer, said she experienced such discrimination early in her career. In 2007, she and her male friend with similar education and experience both landed jobs designing web site...

... middle of paper ...

...oyers are able to continue their discriminatory behavior because of workers are forbidden to discuss wage among themselves. How could we fight against wage discrimination workers are unsure if they are being cheated by the employer? Eliminating this obstacle alone will greatly help in eliminating the present gap. At the end of it all we cannot fix what we do not know. Wage discrimination practices need to be address quickly. Female workers who are victims of wage discrimination have less disposal income, so they spend and save much less than their male counterparts, which in turns affects the economy. Meanwhile employers profit marginal have continued increasing steady over the years, so employers are legally robbing us all directly or indirectly and there is not much been done about it according to the current data on the wage gap between male and female workers.

More about Earning Differences by Gender

Open Document