DOCUMENT RESUME ED 252 470 SO 016 135 TITLE Consultation of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (Washington, DC, June 6-7, 1984). Volume 1. INSTITUTION Commission on Civil Rights, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 7 Jun 84 NOTE 231p.; Some pages contain small type that may not reproduce clearly. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Conference Proceedings (021) Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTOR", Civil Rights; Employment Practices; *Equal Opportunities (Jobs); Females; Laws; Males; *Salary Wage Differentials; *Sex Discrimination IDENTIFIERS *Comparable Worth ABSTRACT A result of the Unitei States Commission on Civil Rights consultation on the concept cf equal pay for work of comparable value, this publication presents all papers submitted by participants. Tne papers are: "The Earnings Gap in Historical Perspective" (Claudia Goldin); "Occupational Segregation and the Earnings Gap" (Andrea H. Beller); "Women in the Economy: Perspectives on Gender Inequality" (Solomon William Polachek); "Explanations of Job Segregation and the Sex Gap in Pay" (Paula England); "Comparable Worth at Odds with American Realities" (Brigitte Berger); "Comparable Worth: A Practitioner's View" (Alvin 0. Bellak); "Using Job Evaluation to Obtain Pay Equity" (Donald P. Schwab); "Comparable North and Realistic Wage Setting" (Herbert E. Northrup); "Identifying Wage Discrimination and Implementing Pay Equity Adjustments" (Ronnie J. Steinberg); "Overview of Pay Initiatives, 1974-1984" (Nina Rothchild); "Race- and Sex-Based Wage Discrimination Is Illegal" (Winn Newman and Christine Owens); "Comparable Worth: Legal Perspectives and Precedents" (Robert E. Williams); "Pay Equity is a Necessary Remedy for Wage Discrimination" (Joy Ann Grune); "An Argument Against Comparable Worth" (June O'Neill); "Comparable Worth as Civil Rights Policy: Potentials for Disaster" (Jeremy Rabkin); and "The Employment and Earnings of Women: The Comparable Worth Debate" (Ray Marshall and Beth Paulin). Abstracts of the papers are provided. (RM) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** .06411parale Worth efor the 80's A Consultation of the U.S. 'Commission on Civil Rights VOIUM. 1 U.S . DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION June 6-7, 1984 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 44,This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization SCOPE OF INTEREST NOTICE originating it The Eric Facility has assigned this document for processing Minor changes have been mi(4fi to improve to; reproduction quality Points of view or rromons staled in this docu In our judgment, this document is also of interest to the Clearing- ment do not nen essarily represent official ME houses noted to the right. Index position or ing should refect their special points of view w OIL /NM rA U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS The U.S. Commission on CivilRightsis anindependent, bipartisan agency first established by Congress in 1957 and reestablished in1983.Itis directedto: Investigate complaints alleging that citizens are being deprived of their right to vote by reason of their race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin, or by reason of fraudulent practices; Study and collect information concerning legal developments constituting discrimination or a denial of equal protection of the laws under the Constitution because of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin, or in the administration of justice; Appraise Federal laws and policies with respect to discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws because of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin, or in the administration of justice; Serve as a national clearinghouse for information in respect to discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws because of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin; Submit reports, findings, and recommendations to the President and the Congress. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION Clarence M. Pendleton, Jr.,Chairman Morris B. Abram,Vice Chairman Mary Frances Berry Esther Gonzalez-Arroyo Buckley John H. Bunzel Robert A. Destro Francis S. Guess Blandina Cardenas Ramirez LindaChavez, Staff Director PREFACE There is a significant history of sex discrimination in employmentin this country. Although women have always worked, women in the labor markethave generally worked in jobs that are predominantly "female." They havedone so for a variety of reasons. Since 1940 the number of women entering the labor markethas risen dramati'ally. Federal laws have eliminated many of the barriers toemployment women once faced. In addition, the !eveof women's educational attainment has increased significantly in the recent past. Yet many womencontinue to enter and remain in sex-segregated occupations. Women's earningscontinue to lag behind the earnings of men. Against this backdrop the concept of equal pay for work ofcomparable value has drawn much attention. Comparable worth is viewed by many as amajor civil rights issue of the 1980s. Although most would agree thatoccupational segregation and a wage gap exist, there is a wide range ofviews as to the causes and appropriate remedies. In an effort to highlight the issues relating to comparableworth, the United States Commission on Civil Rights sponsored a consultation onJune 6-7, 1984, in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the consultation was to providethe Commission with the opportunity to hear from experts in the area and to engagein discussions with them. This provided the Commission with a forum for an exchangeof views on comparable worth. This publi on compiles all papers submitted bythe consultation participants. The transcript of the proceedings will be published as a secondvolume. 4 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Preparations for the consultation were directed by Michael C. M' Goings, Assistant GeneralCounsel, with theassistance ofDerrylStewart King, and Karen M. Primack.Joel C. Mandelman, Deputy General Counsel, also participated in preparations for the consultation. Appreciation is extended to Evelyn A. Avant, Lorraine W. Jackson, and Rhonda D. Sowers for their support and assistance. The staff of the Publications Management Division prepared this document for publication. Overall supervisory responsibility for the project rested with Mark R. Disler, General Counsel. iii CONTENTS Factual Overview: Women in the Work Force "The Earnings Gap in Historical Perspective" by Claudia Goldin 3 Panel: Occupational Segregation and the Eandup Gap "Occupational Segregation and the Earnings Gap" by Andrea H. Beller 23 "Women in the Economy: Perspectives on Gender Inequality" by Solomon William Polachek 34 "Explanations of Job Segregation and the Sex Gap in Pay" by Paula England 54 "Comparable Worth at Odds with American Realities" by Brigitte Berger. 65 Panel: Comparable Worth Doctrine and Its Implementation "Comparable Worth: A Practitioner's View" by Alvin 0. Bellak 75 "Using Job Evaluation to Obtain Pay Equity" by Donald P. Schwab 83 "Comparable Worth and Realistic Wage Setting" by Herbert E. Northrup 93 "Identifying Wage Discrimination and Implementing Pay Equity Adjustments" by Ronnie J. Steinberg. 99 Factual Overview: Current Comparable Worth Proposals at the Federal, State, and Local Levels "Overview of Pay Initiatives, 1974-1984" by Nina Rothchild 119 Panel: Legal Perspectives and Precedents "Race- and Sex-Based Wage Discrimination Is Illegal" by Winn Newman and Christine Owens 131 "Comparable Worth: Legal Perspectives and Precedents" by Robert E. Williams 148 Panel: Comparable Worth as a Remedy for Sex Discrimination "Pay Equity Is a Necessary Remedy for Wage Discrimination" by Joy Ann Grune 165 "An Argument Against Comparable Worth" by June O'Neill 177 "Comparable Worth as Civil Rights Policy: Potentials for Disaster" by Jeremy Rabkin 187 "The Employment and Earnings of Women: The Comparable Worth Debate" by Ray Marshall and Beth Paulin 196 Abstracts of Papers Presented 215 iv FACTUAL OVERVIEW Women in the Work Force 7 1 The Earnings Gap in Historical Perspective By Claudia Goldin* When I was asked to prepare a paper. ..upon the alleged variables that might determine this ratio. The histori- differences in tht wages paid to men and to women for cal record will be examined to see if changes in similar work,Ifelt very reluctant to undertake the task.. ..The problem is apparently one of great complex- technology, work organization, educational stan- ity, and no simple or universal solution of it can be offered. dards, and life-cycle labor force participation have altered the relative earnings of females to males. The Summerizing roughly. ..it may be said that women's inferiority of remuneration for e4uivalent work is, where it current ratio of female to male earnings seems quite exists, the direct or indirect result, to a very large extent, low to many, but what was this ratio a century ago of their past subjection; and that, dependent as it now and how did it change over time? mainly is upon the influence of custom and public opinion, It is often thought that economic progress will it might be largely removed by education and combination eventually eliminate all differences between the among women themselves. earnings of females and males. The labor market's SidneyWebb,"OntheAllegedDifferencesof rewards to strength and dexterity would be mini- Wages..." (1891). mized