Equal Pay Act of 1963: History and Analysis
Introduction
Before presenting historical facts and details regarding the specific law, one should highlight that the Equal Pay Act is the most essential and significant regulatory legal act prohibiting gender-based wage discrimination in the United States. Noteworthy, it is one of the few rules in American history aimed at minimizing and eliminating gender inequity in the workplace. Thus, it is known that President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act in 1963 as an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act (History.com Editors, 2019). Nevertheless, prerequisites for the formation and implementation of the Act originated at the beginning of the 20th century. About a quarter of the workforce were women, and they were paid less for the performance of job responsibilities under any conditions. However, the intensification of actions to eliminate the trouble started during the Second World War, and in 1942, the National War Labor Board supported equal pay policies (History.com Editors, 2019). In general, subsequent attempts in the 40s to mitigate the concern were unsuccessful; by the 50s, progress was achieved, albeit insignificant (History.com Editors, 2019). The 35th president managed to end the centuries-old problem, although its echoes can be found even today.
Recent Developments
Relying on more substantial and relevant developments appealing to the law, it is required to focus on the following critical moments. For instance, the EEOC recently highlighted the value of Title VII of the Equal Pay Act from the point of view of advancing pay equity in 2021 by resolving important discrimination issues in compensation during the administrative process (Burrows, 2022). Furthermore, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton presented three new bills to help significantly reduce the wage gap for all women and minorities (On equal pay day, 2022). In addition, it is crucial that since January 2019, an employer has no opportunity to justify wage discrepancy between employees of the opposite sex, race, or ethnicity based on a worker’s previous salaries (California Equal Pay Act, 2020). Indeed, activist shareholders and the Government in the country equally continue to make every possible effort to create a better life for citizens, specifically if this concerns rights and opportunities in the workplace.
Importance to an Employer
Based on the above information, an employer must adhere to the principles enshrined in the Equal Pay Act. Firstly, as practice shows, such commitment is vital to promoting fairness, honesty, equivalency, and equity in the workplace in the United States. Secondly, strict adherence to these specific rules is required to eliminate the unjustified income gap among American citizens to create a fair society in which everyone has equal rights and opportunities. Thirdly, by ignoring the regulations of the law, an employer may damage relations with their employees, risking facing expensive legal fees and costs of tribunal decisions, deterioration of reputation, and loss of personnel productivity (What is equal pay? 2021). Thus, adherence to the Act’s key concepts affects the phenomena in the field of equality at both micro and macro levels.
Conclusion
The Bible is a standard of obedience and holiness, as well as an inexhaustible source of spiritual nourishment and wisdom, including concerning order in society. Moreover, within the framework of laws and regulations, the Bible instructs and guides a person on the right path, referring to moral and ethical elements. For example, the religious text says: “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord (King James Version Bible, 1998, Psalm 119:1-6). Consequently, anyone who follows earthly laws is blessed because they “walk according to the law of the Lord,” and whoever rebels against them revolts against God.
References
Burrows, C.A. (2022). A message from EEOC chair Charlotte A. Burrows on equal pay day – March 15, 2022. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Web.
California Equal Pay Act. (2020). The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Web.
History.com Editors. (2019). Equal Pay Act. HISTORY. Web.
King James Version Bible. (1988). B. B. Kirkbride Bible Company Inc.
On equal pay day, Norton highlights her three equal pay bills. (2022). Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Web.
What is equal pay?. (2021). The Equality and Human Rights Commission. Web.