Abstract This paper reviews and analyzes three books that discuss the topic of equal pay for equal work. It looks at how each of the books handles the pivotal issues surrounding the demand for equal compensation and discusses the dissimilar perspectives of the books. The paper concludes with an evaluation of each book in terms of its ability to offer possible solutions to the gender inequality in pay structures.
From the Paper "This paper ? not at all coldly objective as Langton / Konrad, or carefully politically correct and historically documented as Nelson and Bridges ? examines, from a feminist point of view, what recent studies of gender and organization have accomplished thus far. Unlike the Langton / Konrad piece, Acker takes a robust feminist approach to existing research, and uses fiery critiques of the current body of knowledge, rather than formulating objective results with data."
Abstract This paper discusses the 2001 State labor legislation with regard to equal pay and compensation discrimination. It discusses what was included in the new legislation, as well as what was excluded. The paper particularly discusses discrimination issues related to pregnancy, age, gender, race and social networks. The paper also discusses issues related to performance and rewards.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
According to Gender Equal Pay Act of 1963
Pregnancy Discrimination
According to Race
According to Social Networks
According to Age
According to Corporate Culture
According to Performance and Rewards
Conclusion
From the Paper "EPA provides protection to employees of the opposite sex who work within the same organization (Bland 1999). EPA applies to an employer who has two or more employees and who is subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act or FLSA. Employees may sue managers or supervisors who exercise control over them. They are, thus, considered "employers." EPA recognizes exemptions to its rule. These are unequal skills, unequal effort, unequal responsibility, dissimilar working conditions and differences in seniority and merit systems. The courts also recognize legitimate grounds for pay inequity. These are longevity or service; disciplinary action, such as demotion. The courts, however, prohibit unequal pay to male and female employees when the pay is based on the employee's previous pay; on account of the average cost of employing workers of one gender as greater than of the opposite; and when based solely on the grounds that the employees worked on different shifts (Bland)."
Abstract This paper explains that pay equity is a gender independent pay process, which reduces wage inequity between men and women workers: Same wages for the same jobs. The author points out that pay equity is not a new issue; the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's (BPWs) Clubs, was established in July 1919 to eradicate sex discrimination in workplace, to confirm the principle of equal pay and to legislate a complete equal rights amendment. The paper relates that the wage disparity became apparent in the U.S. because of women and minorities entering the paid workforce; however, its prevalence was not perceived until the large entry of women seeking jobs during World War II.
Table of Contents
Thesis Statement
Introduction
Pay Equity Issues between Men and Women
Pay Equity Organizations and Websites
Efforts of Women's Organizations on Wage Discrimination
World War II and Influx of Women in Workforce
Conclusion
From the Paper "Irrespective of the promulgation of Equal Pay Act ever since last four decades the wage disparities between men and women obstinately prevails. Women are still failing to earn equal pay for equal work only equal pay for comparable work. Such discrimination not only influences the spending capacity of women but also it costs their retirement security by entailing wide gulf between the social security and pensions. As per the study of 2004 conducted by the Institute for Women's Policy Research, on the basis of the US Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor statistics, it has been brought out that woman employed full time only gets 76 cents in comparison to one dollar for a man in the same time. The real median income of women is observed to have reduced by more than half a million dollar i.e. $523,000 over the last four decades."
Abstract This in-depth paper analyzes the available research regarding the existing gap between the sexes in regards to employment and wages. While evidence proves that the gender gap in employment and wages is narrowing, it still has a long way to go. This paper contains relevant statistics and information relevant to employment and wages. This paper examines the various fields of employment where the gender gap is narrowing, including: Education, medicine, law and computer sciences. The writer also delves into the issue of sexual power in the workforce, specifically the sexual power of men over women, which is addressed in this paper.
From the Paper "One area where the gender gap is narrowing far more speedily than any other is in the education field. For example, there are more females in law school and Med schools than ever before. There are more females entering the Computer Sciences field than ever before. In fact, science, which had always been thought of as a sort of a male preserve, is now enrolling women in Silicon Valley. In British Columbia the Education Minister has asked teachers, principals and other educators to consider their priorities. "The reason: a comprehensive assessment iof the reading and writing skills of 140,000 British Columbia students that showed girls doing better than boys in every category and at every grade level." Nevertheless, of the brighter high school graduates who do not go on to college "70 to 90 percent are girls."
Tags: equality, women, men, employment, wages, pay, rights, law
Abstract A synopsis of 'Beyond Gender' and the social issues it discusses such as: gender equality, corporate downsizing, welfare, affirmative action, pay differences, and families. It analyzes each of these issues from a male and female perspective and as opposed to a paradigm. It also studies the roles of mothers and fathers in our society and how they are depicted in several textbooks. It discusses the pressing issue of why women are paid less than men.
From the Paper "Beyond Gender by Betty Friedan covers a series of social issues that are of interest to most Americans, partly families and definitely women. Nearly 40 years ago Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique, and this is her follow-up. Among the subjects that Friedan addresses are gender equality, corporate downsizing, welfare, affirmative action, pay differences, and families. Each of these issues were discussed in relationship to a paradigm shift ? ?...a change in the system that defined the problems, the models, and the methods on which a whole community ... was trained? (Friedan 1997). From a male perspective, it was a grating book to read, but full of a lot of ideas that I consider ?good starts.? "
Abstract This paper examines gender wage discrimination. The paper discusses the pay differences between men and women in Canada today and the struggle of women to attempt to minimize these wage differences. It then analyzes material attempts to explain and measure the extent of the gender wage gap.
From the Paper " The Gender Wage Gap in Canada: An Analysis of Implications It is an unfortunate reality that Canadian working women today are being paid an average of seventeen-percent less than Canadian men for equivalent jobs. In response to this gender wage discrimination, there have been several attempts to explain and measure the extent of the gender wage gap. In definitive terms, the male-female average wage differential can be expressed as the difference in average endowments evaluated at the male of female pay structure and the difference in returns evaluated at the male or female average endowment."
Abstract The paper focuses on how the US public reacted to having both a minority and a woman running for the highest office in the land and reveals that while racism is a much more recognized problem in America, sexism seems to be a much bigger problem. The paper shows how although women are making real strides in their effort to achieve full equality, recent events and studies portray just how far women still have to go in order to overcome gender inequality.
From the Paper "There seems to be a popular belief in today's American society that gender inequality is largely a thing of the past. As the belief goes, it was an issue that was big in the 1960s, along with all those other messy social issues such as racism and war protests. It is funny how these issues seem to pop up from time to time. Today, the United States is again involved in an unpopular war, the successful candidacy of President-elect Obama has forced once again brought the issue of race to the forefront, and the unsuccessful candidacies of Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin have made Americans once again consider their attitudes toward gender. Unfortunately, what we have seen in recent months is that gender is still an issue for many people in our society, though a much more subtle one than it was forty years ago."
Abstract This paper explains that contribution pay, which is a relatively new concept, combines elements of both performance and competency based pay schemes by recognizing employee achievements and competencies: (1) Employees are paid based on not only their individual job performance but also on their knowledge, skills and attitude, (2) pay is based on an employee's contribution and not just the set goals at hand and (3) employees can be judged on their merits rather than judged solely by a manager's personal discretion. The author points out that, aside from contribution pay, non-monetary incentive schemes also are effective ways of motivating employees because they might not tend to spend money on those rewards, such as travel and parking places, out of their own pockets. The paper relates that contribution pay, non-monetary rewards and a higher general pay are based on natural motivators such as recognition, peer pressure and obligation to work hard; however, ultimately, motivating employees comes down to good management and fair treatment because employees often reflect their environments.
From the Paper "Being hired at a higher salary motivates employee performance in the sense that an employee knows that they will lose a secure position if they are not productive contributors. There is no added pressure of having to meet certain output or sales goals to achieve more money. The financial rewards are already there. All one has to do is meet managerial expectations to maintain their already high status. When an employee exceeds expectation, they are usually rewarded with an annual raise. Furthermore, an employee whose only concern is their salaries based on "units sold" or "numbers met," cannot focus on bigger issues. Those paid the higher salaries can focus on developmental issues, customer service and look at the overall goals of their company as a whole."
Abstract This paper explains that, according to the classical economic theory of employee pay including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an employer should pay its employees such that the marginal cost equals marginal productivity; however, contrary to this theory of fair pay, CEO salaries have been growing much faster than the average worker's pay and thus the productivity of many companies may not be matching that of the increases of pay of the CEO. The author states that the argument for large salaries for CEOs is that CEOs' actions influence a large number of people; thus their pay is in line with the stress, responsibilities, their wealth of real life and academic education, their experience and the implications of their actions. The paper concludes that, when a CEO salary plan slants heavily to stock options and bonuses, which are based on company performance, executives will be encouraged to work hard; however, simply conferring inflated salaries and bonuses do little to benefit the long-term future of the company and make little economic sense.
From the Paper "However, despite the distaste for unethical actions on the part of CEOs, the illegal behavior upon the part of prominent CEOs at Martha Stewart Omni media and Tyco should not be confused with the issue of legitimate, if over-inflated executive pay or even the overgenerous bestowing of perks upon CEOs of other corporate entities. Most companies have rules regarding the reporting of perks. For example, when Robert J. Genader was promoted to chief executive of AFG, (Ambac Financial Group) last year, "he received a $100,000 raise in his salary, to $525,000. But he did not use the extra money to cover the $40,000 initiation fee at a club he joined (but has not identified). Ambac shareholders paid for that, as well as $11,637 in membership fees, according to the company proxy." "
Abstract In this article, the writer examines special considerations in global pay systems. The writer includes a look at compensation parity, expatriate employees, host country employees, third-country employees, geographical pay differentials and repatriated employees.
From the Paper "Global pay systems may simplify employee compensation at the administrative level, but the host of difficult problems that accompany them can create a great deal of extra work and tailoring at the executive level worldwide. The complexity of the global pay system in terms of pay mix pay level and the choice between global standardization and local adaptation of pay practices renders global pay a significant task that not just everyone is equipped to handle."
Tags: global pay, compensation parity, expatriate employees, host country employees, third-country employees, geographical pay differentials, repatriated employees
Argues that communities should not have to pay for water as it is a resource that is basic to our survival and cannot be owned by a single person or entity.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 6 sources, 2002, $ 44.95
Abstract It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate that while the use of taxation to pay for the infrastructure which brings us water is acceptable on the community level, charging individually for water and thus making the survival of people subject to the whims of small groups of people within individual communities, is objectionable and inhumane.
Abstract The paper examines how, when people discuss gender relations, specifically gender discrimination in the Canadian workplace, they usually conduct their discussion on the presumption that there are only two genders - male and female. The writer proposes that gender relations have become much more complex than this, and the paradigm of just two, opposite genders is increasingly being challenged. The paper analyses some of the repercussions of this aspect of gender relations in the Canadian workplace. There is a rising tide of gender activists who are questioning the binary paradigms that pervade our thinking about gender relations, e.g. man OR woman, gay OR straight, etc.
Abstract The paper discusses the declaration by Nancy Bonvillain that "gender relations can be characterized on a continuum from full equality to the complete domination of members of one gender by members of another...[and] may include economic, social, political and religious activities." The paper examines how this serves as a reminder of the complexity of conducting gender analysis in different contexts. This essay argues, with reference to several case studies on representations of women in early Canadian writing, that gender analysis must necessarily consider the existence of both the observer and the subject along a continuum that incorporates a recognition not only of gender, but also of variables of race, class, politics and religion.
Argues that the images of perfection that are disseminated by society are generally stereotypical images that reinforce gender roles of dominance and submission.
Abstract The way in which society defines the structures and strictures of gender has developed in the last century into a field in which there is an abundance of textual dissertation concerning gender, identity, body image, and other issuances of definitional standards that often defy the status quo and change the way in which we think about what it is to be a man or woman. The paper shows that these essential qualities that define gender are harder to determine the more we explore the boundaries that have been set up, in many cases, as no more than cultural myths that represent the continuance of a socio-economic class system. One of these myths is the idea of the mythical body image, or the ideal physiological representation of a society in which gender lines are clearly defined in terms of male and female. This paper explores the idea of this image in terms of its contrivance, ramifications, social constructionism, and its support of gender stereotypes to provide an understanding of how our culture defines male and female images of perfection.
From the Paper "Myths traditionally focus on the superhuman or divine while providing a model of behavior for their consumer, who is more often than not encouraged by them to accept a sort of socio-economic status quo, along with a sense of diversion and the illusion that in escaping reality, the person buying into the myth is escaping the status-quo of an
economically oriented social class system. This particular diversion is carried on through time and changed, if slightly, by successive generations as the gradations of society change with time (although the continuance of myth is often retrogressive concerning the continuance of the society). Although the theme may only change slightly, the
presentation of a new myth within this traditional trope suggests other changes that are more important."
Abstract The paper deals with the question of whether environment or nature defines sex and explains that it is impossible to know. The paper discusses that certainly there is compelling evidence against either of these factors being totally responsible for gender. Gender is something that a person feels--it is not defined by how a person appears. The paper emphasizes how even then, a person only ascribed themselves an emotional gender based on traditional assumptions about the binary gender. The paper concludes that with the abolition of these traditional assumptions, gender, in a way, has become obsolete.
