Gender equality

Equal Pay Act 1963

The Equal Pay Act on June 10, 1963 (effective June 11, 1964) made it illegal to pay women less than men for doing the same job strictly on the basis of their sex. This had been commonplace before. There had to be demonstrable differences in seniority, merit, the quality or quantity of work, or other considerations in order to merit different pay.

Two landmark court cases, Schultz v. Wheaton Glass Co. (1970), U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Corning Glass Works v. Brennan (1974), U.S. Supreme Court tightened and refined the language of the act.

Progress towards equal pay in the 21st century

The wage gap between men and women has narrowed but is still significant.

In 1963, women earned 59% of the wages normally paid to men. In 2005 matters have improved and women now earn 81% of men's wages.

Explanations for the wage gap include the persistence of jobs done by women from an older generation, still subject to outdated attitudes. This is supported by the evidence that women under 25 who are working full-time now earn 93.2% of men's salaries, whereas older women earn less than 80%. However, this is countered by other considerations. Commentator Katha Pollitt says:

Young men and women have always had earnings more compatible than those of their elders: starting salaries are generally low, and do not accurately reflect the advantages that accrue, or fail to accrue, over time as men advance and women stay in place, or as women in mostly female kinds of jobs reach the end of characteristically short career paths.