Equal Pay Act: An Early Step Toward Reducing the Wage Gap - Women’s Rights in the United States Series | Academy 4 Social Change
Equal Pay Act: Lesson Plan
Topic
Esther Peterson drafted the Equal Pay Act, and President John F. Kennedy sig ned it into law on June 10, 1963. This labor law makes it illegal for employ ers to pay men and women different wages and benefits for jobs that require the same skills and responsibilities. While it was initially limited in scope, the Civi l Rights Act of 1946 and the Educational Amendments of 1972 expanded protection to nearly all workers. The Equal Pay Act was an important step forward, but there we re and still are wage gaps between men and women.
Possible subjects/classes Time needed
History Government and Politics 30-45 minutes Women’s Rights
Video link: https://academy4sc.org/topic/equal-pay-act-an-early-step-toward-reducing-the-w age-gap/
Objective: What will students know/be able to do at the end of class?
Students will be able to... ● Identify the events that led up to the passage of the Equal Pay Act. ● Explain what the Equal Pay Act is and why it is important. ● Explain the limitations of the Equal Pay Act.
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
The wage gap, gender inequality in the workforce, federal vs. state law
Materials Needed
Worksheet and computers
Before you watch
Equal Pay Act: An Early Step Toward Reducing the Wage Gap - Women’s Rights in the United States Series | Academy 4 Social Change
Turn & Talk: Do you think that there is gender inequality in the workforce today? If so, why do you think past actions to combat this inequality have been unsuccessful?
While you watch
Students should complete the Worksheet.
After you watch/discussion questions
1. How would you respond to those businesses, organizations, and people in 1963 who said that the Equal Pay Act was unnecessary and that it would create problems? 2. What other sorts of gender-based discrimination can you think of, both throughout history and in today’s world? 3. What can you do to help address the wage gap and gender inequality in the workforce?
Activity Ideas
● Have students write a short essay on how the wage gap affects different groups of women in different ways, as well as what kind of solution(s) they think might address the problem. If so desired, students could also do some research into data on how the wage gap differs between industries, geographical areas, and age groups. ● Have students pair up and research milestones in the effort for equal pay. After doing some research, they should create a timeline with ten different events that they think were critical to the equal pay effort. When they are done, they should share their timeline with at least three other pairs, discussing why they included their chosen events.
Sources/places to learn more
1. Alter, Charlotte. “The Battle for Equal Pay Dates Back to the Civil War.” Time , https://time.com/3774661/equal-pay-history/. 2. Cho, Rosa, and Abagail Kramer. Everything You Need to Know about the Equal Pay Act . International Center for Research on Women, 2013, https://www.icrw.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Everything-You-Need-t o-Know-about-the-Equal-Pay-Act.pdf. 3. Equal Pay Act of 1963 (U.S. National Park Service) . www.nps.gov , https://www.nps.gov/articles/equal-pay-act.htm.
Equal Pay Act: An Early Step Toward Reducing the Wage Gap - Women’s Rights in the United States Series | Academy 4 Social Change
4. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission . https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/equal-pay-act-1963. 5. The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap: Fall 2019 Update . American Association for University Women, https://www.aauw.org/app/uploads/2020/02/Simple-Truth-Update-2019_v2 -002.pdf.