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Can anyone believe that women are paid an average of only 60 cents for every $1 a man is paid for equal work? OK, that is the average for Idaho - not the most enlightened of states - so maybe it isn’t so hard to comprehend. But nationwide, women are making 78 cents for every $1 paid a man, according to 2007 figures, and that’s still nowhere near good enough. It’s also illegal, and has been since Congress passed the Equal Pay Act of 1963. But considering some recent actions on the equal pay front, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised the law is broken as commonly as it apparently is/Jim Fisher, Lewiston Tribune. More here.
Question: Have you worked in a place where you were certain that women didn’t get the same pay as men, despite doing the same work?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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toadman on May 04 at 11:25 a.m.
“Have you worked in a place where you were certain that women didn’t get the same pay as men, despite doing the same work?”
No. But I’ve worked in a place where incompetent morons get paid more than the people who actually get the work done just because the incompetent morons have seniority.
LukeB on May 04 at 12:04 p.m.
One problem is that proving that the equal pay law is being broken is very difficult, as employee compensation is often a taboo topic at work. Some employees even think it’s legal for an employer to “ban” them talking about their compensation (it isn’t legal - you can talk about your compensation with coworkers at any time).
Callisto on May 04 at 12:17 p.m.
A precedent-setting pay-equity case occurred right here in Idaho twelve years ago.
Norma Sadler, who worked as a professor at Boise State University for more than 26 years, successfully challenged the fact that her salary averaged 26% less than those of her male colleagues. A jury found in 1997 that Boise State had violated the federal Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the decision was upheld by a U.S. District Court in 1998.
As Ms. Sadler reported at the time, “I’ve been working for Boise State University for six of my twenty-five years without pay.”
You’re right LukeB…unless salaries are publicly disclosed (as they are at universities) it’s hard to even know whether pay inequity exists.
Kibby on May 04 at 1:20 p.m.
There’s little doubt in my mind that my male counter parts are making more than I do. How else do you explain the fact that they are marching around in nice new suits, with non-working wives, have children, drive nice cars, and supposedly all on the same salary that I make. It’s very frustrating, but what can you do without jepordizing your job?
Stickman on May 04 at 7:48 p.m.
I’m with Toad on this one, well said.
spokelooneh on May 05 at 11:40 a.m.
When adjusted for certain issues related to the time in the workforce, type of job, etc. the gap is not as big as stated, but there still is a gap, probably in the 10-15% range.