Problem
Prompt
In recent years there have been numerous advocacy groups who have argued that there is an unjustifiable wage differential between men and women in the United States. According to many sources, women make on average only 79% of wages earned by men.
In an essay of at least 500 words, respond to the following questions.
• Based on your readings in this lesson, how might an employer justify the wage gap between men and women? Explain.
• Would better enforcement of existing federal legislation remove the differential?
• How do employers determine compensation? In doing so, is there a situation or a circumstance where an employer may be justified in paying men more than women at their organization, even when holding the same positions? If so, what factors might be at play? Look back at the readings for Lesson 4. What does the reading say about the Equal Pay Act?