Abstract Book of the 2nd International Social Sciences Conference
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Women & Work: Actively Seeking to Eradicate the Gender Pay Gap for Sixty Years and Counting
Dr. Kimberly S. Adams
ABSTRACT:
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was passed in the United States to ensure gender pay equality in the workplace, yet more than sixty years later, the gender wage gap still exits. This presentation will examine the historical rationale for the Equal Pay Act and the challenges faced with its implementation. Using data and research from the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the presentation explores the impact of salary and wage discrimination on working women, paying close attention to the pay disparities for women of color. Further, the presentation will delve into structural, political and social factors that contribute to the gender pay gap. Lastly, the presentation will review policy recommendations, outlined by AAUW and others, for closing the gap to finally achieve equal pay for equal work among men and women in the U.S.
Keywords: Equal Pay Act, women in the workforce, gender wage gap, pay gap