Pay Equity and its Importance
Pay equity simply means equal pay commensurate to the value. Hence such discriminations based on color, gender and ethnicity pursuant to the wage setting system should not suffice (Bishu, Sebawit and Mohamad 97).
Favoring Pay Equity Policies
Do you favor or oppose pay equity policies. Why?
Yes! I favor pay equity policies. Pay equity policies would be monumental in addressing any pay discrimination at work places. It would advocate for equal pay for equal work. Gender pay gap narrowing has been being championed despite the subtle and explicit discriminations on women at work places (Tharenou 200). It is imperative to note that policies at work stations have not been revised forcing women to sacrifice their careers so as to concentrate on families. This is despite the paradigms shift in the roles regarding labore force and family engagements attributed to women. Women’s earnings are thus depressed resulting to pay (Bishu, Sebawit and Mohamad 85). Continued gender pay gap especially to women would translate to lower lifetime pay for the women which in effect avail less earnings to the families. This affects poverty index in a family. This is a time bomb that when not addressed is likely to push women into poverty. Addressing this gender pay gap would need strengthened anti-discriminatory laws as well as revising the policies that have been overtaken by events to reflect the modern day realities as this is the only way women will be empowered to harness their full potential economically thus reducing this adverse pay inequities. The net effect is massive benefit to the women, families as well as a nation’s economy. If this disparity in pay is addressed to reflect equal pay for women as men, poverty levels in any economy is certain to be reduced (Bishu, Sebawit and Mohamad 69).
Women's Challenges in the Workplace
Women sitting in college classrooms today would not be paid equally with men during their entire working lives.
It is important to note that pay equity and increasing women participation in matters labor is very important for any societal set up (Tharenou 199). Workers, thus, need to be absorbed into jobs that best suit their skill set but this does not replicate itself in the work place. Mostly, women have to overcome so many barriers at work places thus denying them the opportunity to utilize their skills so as to realize their economic potential fully.
Several factors still work against women in the workforce such as lack of proper negotiation skills; being not ready to do hard jobs and also sacrifice to work long hours; family obligations including but not limited to taking care of children or families; choice for low paying careers that their male counterparts will rarely settle for, commonly referred to as occupational segregation (Tharenou 201). Occupational segregation and unrealistic work place policies have also denied work place mobility for the women (Bishu, Sebawit and Mohamad 101).
Conclusion
This paper opines that women still have a long way to go in a bid to match their pay with men. However, pay equity policies need to be advocated to match equal pay to equal value. This will empower the women and by extension help reduce poverty levels in families and boost a nation's economy.
Works Cited
.Bishu, Sebawit G., and Mohamad G. Alkadry. "A systematic review of the gender pay gap and factors that predict it." Administration " Society 49.1 (2017): 65-104.
Tharenou, Phyllis. "The work of feminists is not yet done: The gender pay gap - a stubborn anachronism." Sex roles 68.3-4 (2013): 198-206.
