In this analytical essay, the author examines the arguments of comparable worth advocates and explores the notion of an inherently sex-biased job market. (Author)

Discusses background and decision of United States Supreme Court's first case related to affirmative action based on sex. Concludes that the majority of the Court support the principle of affirmative action when properly applied to overcome a history of both race and sex discrimination. (PS)

The typical working woman is thought to make 60% of a man's wage, despite increased job skills. Facts prove this perception incorrect. Lack of progress is an artifact of changing labor market characteristics associated with the rapid growth in the numbers of women in the labor market. Low skills, low wage female entrants tend to hold down the…

Discusses ways in which historical wage structures still influence current salaries and underpay for female-dominated jobs. Examines the origins of the California State Civil Service's compensation structure, and finds that gender discrimination explicitly lowered wages for female-dominated jobs. Provides quantitative and qualitative evidence of…

Although women in North Carolina increasingly enter the work force to stay and their "protected" status in marriage is no longer secure, North Carolina's women do not have economic equality under law with men. Husbands have full rights to the rents, profit, and control of entirety property and real estate during marriage; and no women…

Reviews evidence of sex bias in job evaluation judgments and analyzes research methods used to study the issue. Explores the following types of bias: (1) direct; (2) indirect; and (3) sex of rater. Findings indicate evidence of indirect bias, showing that high paying jobs tend to be evaluated higher than those with low pay. (JS)

This report analyzes the number of women working in the following six decision making jobs in prime time television: (1) executive producer; (2) supervising producer; (3) producer; (4) co-producer; (5) writer; and (6) director. The women who hold these positions are able to influence the portrayal of women on television as well as to improve the…

This paper documents the efforts of Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute's (TVI) Trades and Service Occupations Department to recruit and support women in nontraditional occupations. Nontraditional careers are defined as those occupations in which women comprise less than 25 percent of the population. While women are entering professional…

Given the salience of biological sex, it is not surprising that gender stereotypes are pervasive. To explore the prevalence of such stereotypes, the accuracy of gender stereotyping regarding occupations is presented in this paper. The paper opens with an overview of gender stereotype measures that use self-perceptions as benchmarks of accuracy,…

Addresses the role of comparison processes in the persistence of the gender wage gap, its toleration by those disadvantaged by it, and resistance to comparable worth as a corrective strategy. Argues that gender segregation and undercompensation for women's jobs leads women to use different comparison standards when evaluating what they deserve.…

Although Canadian women undoubtedly enjoy much greater political, social, and economic equality today than ever before, the author believes that they still have a long way to go. After describing the environment within which women work, she discusses various handicaps from which they still suffer and reviews some practical measures taken to combat…

Title IX, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1975 as part of the Education Amendments, is a public law that prohibits sex discrimination against students and employees and provides them with equal access to courses and to employment in education agencies, including public school systems. Designed to be used in conjunction with a video by the same…

The female share of the older work force has nearly doubled since 1950. In 1987, the 6.2 million women aged 55 and over in the labor force constituted 4 of every 10 older workers. Because young women today have a stronger work attachment than did their mothers and grandmothers, the female share of the older work force is likely to continue to…

Provides different perspectives on comparable worth issues. Covers the following topics: (1) competing explanations for the wage gap; (2) indirect approaches to wage equity; (3) the need for a direct approach to wage equity; (4) job evaluation; (5) application of comparable worth principles to compensation systems; and (6) strategies for adopting…

Reviews economists' views about how the economy works, from which conclusions opposing comparable worth are drawn. Discusses factors that have been omitted from economists' views--social and psychological factors that affect behavior in the workplace, permit and encourage discrimination, and have an effect on the distribution of jobs and wages.…