In 1963, President Kennedy signed the federal Equal Pay Act (EPA) requiring employers to pay all employees equally for equal work. At that time women earned 58.9% of the wages men earned.
The EPA requires that employers pay similarly situated employees at the same wage regardless of sex. The compensation includes all payments made to or on behalf of employees in return for employment, which includes: salary, overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, life insurance, vacation and holiday pay, allowances, reimbursements, expenses, and benefits.
One year later, Congress passed Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It provided an additional protections for women in employment and allowed them to fight pay inequality based on sex discrimination.
Yet, in 2003, women earned merely 75.5% of the wages men earn. This gain is an improvement of less than half a penny since 1963.
Today, as women start their careers the pay gap is smaller, but still exists. Females aged 15 to 24 working full-time have median annual earnings that are 94% of their male equivalents. The gap quickly widens as women progress in their careers. Women aged 45 to 64 who work full-time earn only about 68% of what men do.
Sex segregation in the work force continues to persist. This occupational segregation results in an inverse relationship between the percentage of women employed in a field and the average hourly salary in that field.
The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund is committed to advocating for equal pay for women in academia. We offer the following information and resources for all concerned about pay equity.
Still need help?
If you have any questions, would like to learn more, or would like to make a contribution to LAF, send an e-mail to laf@aauw.org or call 202/785-7750.
