Unequal Pay In The Early 1900's

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Everywhere the screams for equality echo throughout the United States. The accomplishments of the early 1900’s originally seemed enough to turn America around. Especially when combined with the ratification of the nineteenth amendment. It was hoped women that women would be able to work their way up into an equal position with men. Many people argue the goals of feminism have been met. This is fundamentally false, despite what some statistics claim others prove women and men are still not equal within the business world. However, by destroying society created myths women can reach their full potential, earning executive positions, and eventually receiving equal pay. Using statistics many people are attempting to prove women are becoming the …show more content…
For hourly wage employees the difference between men and women is twenty-two cents (qtd in Boshart par. 1). However, in studies addressed by Bradbury and Katz that twenty-two cent gap increases quickly as the pay increases: “The average female executive within the survey earned 40% less than their male counterparts” (qtd. in Bradbury and Katz par. 5). With the average female officer earning just sixty cents for every dollar earned by her male counterpart, something must be corrected. The Equal Pay Act was passed to allow employees of either gender to sue their employer if they were earning unequal pay based on their gender. But, only if it could be proven that there was an equivalent employee, in skill and position, in the company earning higher wages. (qtd. in Weinstein par. 12). This only solves part of the problem. Within most companies only a few upper levels positions exist and very few are equivalent positions. That means most women are unable to prove, within the law, their exact male counterpart is earning more because their peer exists outside of their company. By addressing this issue the Equal Pay Act’s original goals can finally be met. With that, women will be much closer to receiving the same pay as men, and the business world will be one step closer to being

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