Equal Pay Act

            In 1960s, women had limited opportunities in life. In the early 1920s they were expected to start a family and to spend time inside the household doing chores and caring for children. They had no right with their husbands’ earnings, and they depend on them. Moreover, women had no rights to control neither their properties nor earnings. Their wages are far less than what men received. The customary women’s jobs are focused more on manual work, clerical work, and services. [1]

            Employees’ rights are protected under several federal laws. An example is the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which is enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). [2] The Equal Pay Act intention is to prevent discrimination between the two sexes. The goal for this act is for men and women to get employed on the “like” work or work that are equivalent. The terms and conditions are no longer in favor with men. The Act implies that employers must give women employees the same treatment as men get. Furthermore, this Act does not discriminate social classes; it applies to everyone.[3] This requires that men and women are given equal pay for equal work they do. It does not mean that the work performed needs to be identical; however, they must be substantially equal with the job content. 

            Employers are not allowed to pay unequal wages to men and women who work considerably the same skill, ability, education and training.[4]  “Like” is defined as “…as of the same or a broadly similar nature..,” and it is provided “…in comparing her work with which any such differences occur in practice as well as to the nature and extent of the differences.” Men and women may be employed on the same type of production. The output may be the same, but the job description changes when moving heavy materials, or cleaning of machinery, in which women need men’s assistance.[5] The Equal Pay Act has given women the opportunity to be treated equally like men do. Women are no longer staying as housewives, but they are now participating in the work force.  

 

Bibliography

Barrett, Brenda. “Equal Pay Act 1970. I.” The Modern Law Review 34, no. 3 (1971): 308-312,             http://www.jstor.org/stable/1094631

“Equal Pay Act 1963.” Society of Human and Resource Management. Date accessed April 13, 2014, http://www.shrm.org/LegalIssues/FederalResources/FederalStatutesRegulationsandGuidanc/Pages/EqualPayActof1963.aspx

Seear, B.N. “Equal Pay Act 1970. II.” Modern Law Review 34, no. 3 (1971), 312-316, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1094632

 “The 1960-70s American Feminist Movement: Breaking Down Barriers for Women,” Tavaana. Date Accessed April 13, 2014. http://tavaana.org/en/content/1960s-70s-american-           feminist-movement-breaking-down-           barriers-women

 

 

            [1] B.N. Seear, “Equal Pay Act 1970. II,” Modern Law Review 34, no. 3 (1971), 315, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1094632

            [2]  “Equal Pay Act 1963,” Society of Human and Resource Management, Date accessed April 13, 2014, http://www.shrm.org/LegalIssues/FederalResources/FederalStatutesRegulationsandGuidanc/

Pages/EqualPayActof1963.aspx

            [3] Brenda Barrett, “Equal Pay Act 1970. I,” The Modern Law Review 34, no. 3 (1971): 308, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1094631

            [4] “Equal Pay Act 1963.”

            [5] Brenda Barrett, The Modern Law Review, 309.