The Gender Gap in the Workplace

The Gender g |

The Gender Gap in the Workplace

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Jennifer Thomas |

Human Relations and Organization Behavior 300.401

Spring 2010Ronald C. WilliamsApril 25, 2010 |

The Gender Gap in the Workplace

During President Barack Obama’s campaign he told audiences about a woman named Lilly Ledbetter. She worked for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company from 1979 to 1988. After taking early retirement from her job as an area manager, Lilly Ledbetter had realized that Goodyear had compensated her less than 15 male area managers. After realizing this she took Goodyear to court for wage discrimination and after a jury agreed with her, the case was then taken to Supreme Court. The Supreme Court then tossed the case after citing the plaintiff’s legal obligation to file the claim within 180 days of the beginning of the alleged pay discrepancy. On January 28, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which expands the statute of limitations for wage discrimination lawsuits to cover when an employee recognizes a pay discrepancy. Although this act will contribute greatly in closing the gender gap that occurs in the workplace, it is also very recent and hasn’t yet had time to have an effect on the gender gap. (Conger)

Before the Industrial Revolution women were either homemakers, helpers on the farm, or worked in businesses in or near their own homes. The most common of these jobs were inn keeping, midwives, and beer brewing. (Hackett) This all changed during World War I and the Industrial Revolution.

During the Industrial Revolution, the opening of more factories and the invention and modernization of more products opened up jobs for the working public which were generally men. However, during World War I, men were forced to go to war and women took over the jobs in the factories and textile mills. This era separated the workplace from the home and caused a lot of controversy once the war was over. Once the men were back from...