Are WOMEN WORTH Enough?
Mayra Guevara Period:6 Ms. Sidhu
Background Information
"American women who work full time, year round are paid only 79 cents for every dollar paid to men — and for women of color, the wage gap is even larger."
Because of this wage gape women are earning a total of $10,876 less per year in median earnings, leaving women and their families shortchanged.
Women's affects
- Women aren't receiving enough money
- Leading to having a hard time trying to maintain their families.
- For example: " For low and middle income families, it literally isn't worth going to work if the cost of child care exceeds what you bring in and that calculus is exacerbated in an economy turned off."
- Meaning if women do receive enough money to take care of their children, and over a life time of work, there would be far less savings for retirement.
- Women from different races receive even less than a women from another race.
Maternity Leave
- Women receive a "12 week maternity leave" (NYT) in the U.S.. (unpaid)
- For the less educated and lower income women, they say that the stress of trying to work on raise children is very challenging for them .
- Receive" a lack of family-friendly policies also appears to have contributed to a lower rate."
- "61% of women said family responsibilities were a result they weren't working."
- Women are quitting their jobs voluntarily.
If rules would change.....
- "Nearly three-quarter he said they would consider going back if a job offer flexible hours allows them to work from home" (NYT).
- " List of those requirements is the flexibility to avoid unpending their family life."
The Big Number: 79%
- The gap has narrowed since the 1970's, only due to women's progress and education and two men's wages rising at a slower pace.
- " But progress has stalled in recent years and the pay gap does not appear likely to go away on its own."
Comparison Between Races: Affects
For women of color, the explained factors that contribute to the wage gap are different than those of white women.Due to the fact that women of color frequently work in lower-paying jobs, work fewer hours, and experience more substantial caregiving burdens.
- The graph above is a breakdown of the pay gap that women of color experienced compared with non-Hispanic white men in 2013.
Race
- While education helps everyone, " black and Hispanic women are earning less than their white and Asian peers to even when they have the same educational credentials."
- White women are paid more than African-American and Hispanic women nearly at nearly all educational levels.
Solution
- For companies: conduct salary inspections to proactively monitor and tackle gender-based pay differences. Benefits the company in good business.
- For Women: learn strategies to better negotiate for equal pay.
- Ways- AAUW's "salary workshops help empower women to advocate for themselves" when it comes to salary, etc.
Facts
- " men expect that their careers would be more important than their wives and that they would do less childcare while women expect the quality."
- "41% of adults say it's bad for society when mothers with young children work and just 22% say it's good."
Claim
Questions
- What are some strategies that can help women to better negotiate for equal pay?
- What was your opinion about the topic?
Essay's
Mayra Guevara
AP Language Period: 6
Ms. Sidhu
12-6-15
Women's Pay: In-between
"American women who work full time, year round are paid only 79 cents for every dollar paid to men — and for women of color, the wage gap is even larger." (NWLC). Throughout the years, women have been seen as the inferior race among the many jobs they work in, and have been mistreated for just being women. Actions have been enforced among this injustice but nothing has helped to prevent this action from happening repedetly. Men on the other hand, are being paid the minimum wage and aren't seen as incapable of doing the job. Although, the enforcement of the Equal Pay Act and other civil rights laws has helped narrow the wage gap over time, addressing the significant disparity that remains is critical for women and their families.
Women have the capacity of doing any job they receive as long as it helps maintain their family. In the article NWLC, it states that women 's " wage gap is dangerous— and, since lower wages for women also hurt the families who rely on their earnings." Among the many women around the world, almost an additional " 2.5 million working single mother" (NWLC) families were struggling to make ends meet. Families with an only single mother working are in risk of having struggles of paying bills, or worse becoming poor. Women have the right to earn as much as men, in order to maintain a sustainable life. The result this problem can not only result in a negative impact in women but "it’s dangerous for the economy as a whole."
In a recent study by Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a progressive think tank, that highlighted the persistent wage gap between men and women, found that women are still paid about "20 percent less than men, and that the small decrease in that gap has occurred largely due to stagnant wages for men,"(Politics) but not necessarily by the significant gains made by women. Based off of this report, women are still being discriminated by the fact that they aren't getting paid the right amount. Even with the fact that women have the same capacity and intelligence as a man. But throughout the years the wage gap has improved for a certain amount of time. In an EPI's research, it found that almost "half of that decrease has occurred because men's wages have failed to keep pace with economic growth," which allows women to catch up slightly, but just by a little bit. This action only improved the situation a women is put slightly, but not enough to were a women can be satisfied by the amount one is getting paid a month.
Women have suffered enough with the discrimination, especially since there are acts that go against and make it even more difficult to find justice. For example, " Barbara Mikulski's Paycheck Fairness Act," This bill was introduced by the Maryland Democrat that has the capability to make it illegal for companies to pay "men and women different amounts" for the same exact work. Because of acts it makes it harder for women to obtain the goal they so desperately need in order to be happy. But to make matters worse, women who have different race, for example " women with the median Hispanic woman earning just 58.9 percent and the median black woman pulling down 65.1 percent of the median white man's wage." are earning even less than their fellow workers. Race shouldn't matter especially since women are working just as harder, even more than men to bring food to the table.
Overall, women are being mistreated when it comes to their jobs. Women are being affected in both their personal and family life's. These problems wouldn't have to exist if only people would take matters into their hands and say that this is wrong to pay women just because of their gender,
Mayra Guevara
Period: 6
AP Lang. Ms.Sidhu
12-5-15
Women's Pay: Agreement
According to the Wall Street, the California senate passed the "California Fair Pay Act...is a state version of the Paycheck Fairness Act that the U.S. Congress rejected in 2014." This bill that was passed was "an aggressive attempt to eradicate a wage gap between men and women" that is due to discrimination in the workplace. Due to the discrimination in the work places many women have gathered to have acts like these be taken place. Although many of these acts don't fully fill the gender's discrimination, there are many ways that can contribute to the goal many are trying to reach.
Many organizations, and action plans have taken into place in order to help create or change the view of women's wage. For example, Equal Pay Act which has been around for more over than 50 years. This organizations helps women find the justice they need, and to go against acts such as the " Barbara Mikulski's Paycheck Fairness Act," This bill was introduced by the Maryland Democrat that has the capability to make it illegal for companies to pay "men and women different amounts" for the same exact work. Many women agree that this act if just ridiculous and that it should be stopped. There are also acts such as the "Fair Pay Act " which allows "prohibit employers from paying men and women different wages for substantially similar work.” This acts is so beneficial especially for anyone who is suffering from unfair pay, because in the "Government data for 2014 show that women in California earn, on average, 84 cents for every dollar earned by men" Although the acts are very similar, it only demonstrates how much of the cause it is impacting many lives.
Not only that, but there are many options for individuals , policy makers, and companies to take action upon this outrageous injustices. These options don't both the company or the individual, in fact it befits both because women are not being see as an inferior race and the economic gap can improve. For companies, they are suggested to "conduct salary audits to proactively monitor and address gender-based pay differences " by the AUW organization. This doesn't affect the companies at all, on the other hand it actually makes good business. Also women have the capacity to "learn strategies to better negotiate for equal pay. AAUW’s salary negotiation workshops help empower women to advocate for themselves when it comes to salary, benefits, and promotions."
Also "EPI urges companies to reveal existing pay gaps publicly." Not only that but it is also recommended for the raise of the minimum wage for women in order to help them." If the federal minimum wage were bumped up to $12 an hour from $7.25, 56 percent of the workers who would see pay gains would be women, according to the report." Leveling the pay for both men and women won't harm anyone, as much as one believes it will. On the contrary, the benefits that come from for leveling the pay gap would be even greater if the tipped minimum that women are receiving were increased. So if one were to conduct any of these possible solution, women are closer to achieving the goal they so desperately want and are still waiting for.
Overall, many acts are being, have already, or in process to solve this unquestionable problem. Women should receive the right that they need in order to feel equal among others. By following and supporting these acts, one is doing not only women, but themselves a favor.
Mayra Guevara
Period: 6
AP Lang. Ms.Sidhu
12-5-15
Women's Pay: Disagreement
Often times, especially in this time, women are seen as incapable in conducting a "man's" job properly. This may be the most stereotypical reason, yet it is one of the main reasons as to why women who are working " year round are paid only 79 cents for every dollar paid to men." (NWLC). The fact that women are receiving less money, or worse not getting hired because of being a women is beyond being ridiculous. Although women are seen as the inferior human being who is not worthy enough to get equal pay, there should still be a chance for women.
In recent years, women are either getting fired, or women are quitting their jobs because of the possibility of them getting pregnant or are already having a baby. In the article, "Why U.S. Women Are Leaving Jobs Behind," significantly states how women are leaving their jobs behind because a "12 week maternity leave was too short." Many would disagree with the fact that women are leaving because the time was too short, but the truth is that mothers need to be with their new born child in order to make sure they are safe, and healthy. Instead of leaving them in a daycare where something wrong may come along. Throughout the years, "the United States had one of the top employment rates in the world for women, but it has now fallen behind many European countries. " (New York Times), meaning that because of the unfair treatments women are receiving, they are not capable of doing the job.
Among the many other women across the country, " 61 percent of women said family responsibilities were a reason they weren’t working, compared with 37 percent of men." meaning that because they are not receiving what they want, doesn't mean that they aren't capable of doing the job. But many would argue that if women were to receive the right they so desperately are fighting for, they are going to get paid for just staying at home and watching their child "play". But it's not like that, if only women were given simple rights everything would be simple,(" seem interested in working again — under the right conditions. And near the top of the list of those requirements is the flexibility to avoid upending their family life.") In such countries like France for example, have given a "Social acceptance of working motherhood has also made a difference....where the birthrate has risen even as more women enter the work force". If other countries were to accept it, women would be capable for working without any worries of their job being taken away just because they have children.
In other words women are just as smart as men when it comes to jobs. Even though women have a disadvantage in having babies and not having the right family rights, women "often the best they can do is not what they prefer, but what’s available to them.” (New York Times). Women want to work even though it is not their "dream job", in order to have a decent life. Women will work just as hard as men will, for example in the case of Raquel Heredia, who is 27 says that she is not currently working at the time but ""wishes she were I just like working with people,” she said. “I like being able to provide for my family.” " Women like her should get the opportunity to receive what they want, women are not the weak ones, it is more like women do not always have the opportunity to show what they are most capable of.
In conclusion, women should receive family rights in order for both her and her family to be stable enough in life. Men and women are equal, they are not superior of one another. In this case and time, this problem should e solved.
Mayra Guevara
Period: 6
AP Lang. Ms. Sidhu
12-7-15
Work Citied
"Equal Pay and the Wage Gap Archives - NWLC." NWLC. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"Impact of the Wage Gap Archives - NWLC." NWLC. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015
"The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (Fall 2015)." AAUW: Empowering Women Since 1881. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015
"The 'Wage Gap' Myth That Won't Die." WSJ. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (Fall 2015)." AAUW: Empowering Women Since 1881. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"Why U.S. Women Are Leaving Jobs Behind." N.p., n.d. Web.