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Position on Pay Equity

The American Association of University Women has long fought to end wage discrimination. As early as 1922, AAUW’s legislative program called for a reclassification of the U.S. Civil Service and for a repeal of salary restrictions in the Women’s Bureau. In 1955, AAUW supported a bill introduced by Reps. Edith Green (D-OR) and Edith Rogers (R-MA) requiring “equal pay for work of comparable value requiring comparable skills.” Congress enacted the Equal Pay Act,1 a version of the 1955 bill, in 1963. AAUW’s 2009-2011 Public Policy Program states that AAUW is committed to supporting “fairness in compensation, equitable access and advancement in employment, and vigorous enforcement of employment antidiscrimination statutes.”2

AAUW’s interest in this issue is reflective of women as a whole. Among issues identified as important to women, 90 percent say equal pay for equal work is a priority.3 This is not surprising, since the wage gap is a pervasive issue affecting women in all walks of life, regardless of marital, familial or employment status. Further, surveys show that most business leaders consider pay equity “good business” and a step that is necessary to remain competitive.4 Pay disparities are not limited to one career or to one demographic, and affect women of all ages, races, and education levels—regardless of their family decisions.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor statistics, women who work full time earn about 77 cents for every dollar men earn.5 Because of the wage gap, since 1960, the real median earnings of women have fallen short by more than half a million dollars compared to men.6 Minority women face a larger wage gap. Compared to white men, African American women make 70 cents on the dollar (African American men make 74 cents); Hispanic or Latina women make about 60 cents (Hispanic men make almost 66 cents).7

AAUW believes that equal pay for equal work is a simple matter of justice for women. Wage discrimination impacts the economic security of families today and directly affects retirement security as women look down the road. But despite the Equal Pay Act and many improvements in women’s economic status over the past 48 years, wage discrimination still persists and is attributable in part to the Equal Pay Act’s limited scope. Not only does it fail to cover wage discrimination based on race (although Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act does), it also fails to provide equal pay for jobs that are comparable but not identical. Further, it excludes part-time or contingent workers, and does not allow groups of workers to file class action suits.

Although enforcement of the Equal Pay Act as well as other civil rights laws such as Title VII have helped to narrow the wage gap, significant disparities remain which need to be addressed. AAUW strongly supports initiatives that seek to close the persistent and sizable wage gaps between men and women, and minorities as well. To that end, AAUW supports legislation to promote pay equity. Thanks to the hard work of AAUW Action Network members and our coalition partners, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law on Jan. 29, 2009. There are other legislative measures that have been pending in Congress for several years that will address longstanding discriminatory practices that contribute to the gender-based wage gap. These bills have been AAUW priorities in the past and continue to be a focus of AAUW’s advocacy in the 112th Congress. Key among them is the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 797/H.R. 1519), which would expand upon the original scope of the Equal Pay Act. Passed by the House in January 2009 with a bipartisan majority, the Paycheck Fairness act was defeated in the Senate on a procedural vote in November 2010. The bill was reintroduced in the 112th Congress on April 12, 2011 in the same form that nearly succeeded previously.

For more information, call 202/785-7793 or e-mail VoterEd@aauw.org.


1 Equal Pay Act of 1963, 29 U.S.C. § 206(d), (June 10, 1963).

2 American Association of University Women. (June 2011). 2011-13 AAUW Public Policy Program. Retrieved July 9, 2011, from www.aauw.org/act/issue_advocacy/principles_priorities.cfm.

3 Center for the Advancement of Women. (June 2003). Progress and Perils: New Agenda for Women. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from www.advancewomen.org/learn/progress_perils/.

4 National Committee on Pay Equity. (2000). Questions and Answers on Pay Equity. Retrieved December 11, 2008 from www.pay-equity.org/info-Q&A.html.

5 U.S. Census Bureau. (2009). Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008, Table A-2. Retrieved September 8, 2010, from www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p60-236.pdf.

6 National Committee on Pay Equity. (September 2007). The Wage Gap Over Time: In Real Dollars, Women See a Continuing Gap. Retrieved December 11, 2008, from www.pay-equity.org/info-time.html.

7 American Association of University Women. (April 2011). The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap. Retrieved April 28, 2011, from www.aauw.org/learn/research/upload/SimpleTruthAboutPayGap.pdf.