Gender Gap In America

Just what is the “Gender Gap”? It is usually defined in terms of money, mainly wages, as most things are in America. Let’s face it, men generally make more money than women in all but the minimum wage level jobs. The more men climb the ladder to success, the more money they make. Women have succeeded in the private and governmental level and you would think that they would be on even footing with the men, but, truthfully they are not. The gap has not moved in more than ten years. In every part of the United States, men make more money, overall, than women. Women of color, women with children, women without children, married women, single women, women with educations, and those without education are all in the same boat. There is even a pay

gap between women. Those with less education, doing the same job as a woman with a degree, make more money. It is a never ending circle that has no end. Equal pay for equal value is harder to understand. It is basically, the theory that “people” doing the same job should receive the same compensation. That means, the same, as it relates to wage and benefits, bonuses, etc. “Equal Value” is the question. How is the value of work figured I in the workplace?
The Lilly Ledbetter (Fair Pay) Act, which President Obama signed into law, took many of the questions we have raised.

President Obama is a great champion for women’s rights and supports gender equality in many areas of American life. Lilly Ledbetter worked for many years at a tire company as a supervisor. When she found out that she made less money than her male co-workers she sued. Her struggle made it easier for women to step-up and get the wages that they deserve. Her work history was a good example of “Equal pay for Equal Value” By suing the company she worked for she is an exception to the rule. Many women are afraid of losing their jobs and just keep working without the pay increases that they need. Maybe it is because women choose careers like social work, teaching, and healthcare instead of engineering, computers, and business. The President has used his office to start a task force called Equal Pay Task Force, to lessen the gender wage gap. He also is trying to prevent workplace unfairness by helping workers get the help they need to ask for better pay without being fired. The Executive Branch of the government is doing all it can to help women. It may be the President’s sense of fairness or because he is the father of two daughters. Whichever it may be, he is leading the country toward the closing of the gender gap. He has the help of the Judicial Branch of our federal

government.
Two legislative acts, Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, were used by the Judicial System to regulate and try cases concerning wages and discrimination in the workplace. Those two laws made it illegal to pay women less because they were woman. The Justice Department uses those laws to try cases. Today. They are still helping women made their case for equal pay. Cases are still tried in the states using those two acts as a foundation. In Washington State, the governor ordered s study done on the wage gap. Later, the court used that study to order Washington State to give women back pay. In 1981, AFSCME filed a case siting that the State of Washington, did the study but failed to make any changes. Although the United States Court of Appeals overturned the decision in state court, the State of Washington did pay the women back pay. The Judicial system has kept up with the changing workplace. The courts have upheld many of the cases brought for women. Progress has been made in the Judicial Branch of the government by taking on Equal Work for Equal Value cases.
In January of 2013, JEC Democratic Staff published (on the Web) a fact sheet complied by the United States Congress, Joint Economic Committee, Vice-Chair Senator Robert P.

Casey, Jr concerning the gender wage gap and its effect of working women. The questions they asked were timely and addressed the concerns of America’s woman in the workplace. After the President’s signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act., Congress asked itself what could be done to increase the salaries of woman and bring them into line with their male counterparts. The Committee Chaired by Senator Casey brought the gender gap into the forefront and updated what was needed to make women equal in the work environment. Still, women earn less than men. The fact sheet shows that all the states in the Union women are making less money for equal value. To date, Congress has not succeeded in changing the way that businesses do business. Women cannot hurdle the obstructions in their way without the help of

Congress.
No matter if women are educated, they have student loans to pay, children to raise, food to buy, and have all the emergencies that men have, but find no help in Washington. Even in retirement women have problems making ends meet. Over all women are overlooked and underpaid. It is time for all three branches of Congress to get on board and help women more and men less.

In Conclusion: With the assistance of President Obama taking measures to control the wage gap, the Judicial branch enforcing the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Congress beginning mindful that women are begin under paid, hopefully one day women will receive the same pay rate as their male counter parts for the same job.