According to Cascio (2013), “No lawhas ever attempted to define precisely the term discrimination, in the employment context it can be viewed broadly as the giving of an unfair advantage (or disadvantage) to the members of a particular group in comparison with the members of other groups” (p. 79). Managers must consider the injustice and the unethical system of unequal payment based on sex. From an entry level to the highest position within an organization, women are treated unfairly and receive unequal payment for equal work.

Summary of Law: Employees’ being discriminated against by not receiving equal salaries has been an important legal and unethical issue put into practice for many years. Although, there have been several laws and acts, which includes The Equal Pay Act of 1963,in place to deter against discrepancy within organizations on equal pay, there are many companies still carrying outthis unethical system. An organization discriminating against someone of a different sex is likely the cause of inequality in pay. Everyone should be offended by this practice because it can affect anyone.

Relevance and Importance: As an African American female I am considered a “double minority” there are many cases that have been brought to the Supreme Court because someone of minority status have been discriminated against by receiving less money than their colleagues. “Employment industries are,…still sex-segregated. Inequalities between men and women in terms or wages and rank continue to persist…” (Housh, 2011, p. 118). It is fair for one to earn higher wages if they have a higher skill set, more experience, been on the job longer, or if one has a larger work load etc. As an employee working to become a future manager I would have to be mindful of any discrimination whether intentional or accidental. An unjust, unethical system in the work place, whether it affects one or many should be dismantled.

Ethical Challenge: The Equal Pay Act of 1963 is an amendment of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. “The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women working for the same establishment be paid the same rate of pay for work that is substantially equal in skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions” (Cascio, 2013, p. 82). An ethical issue associated with this law is that its wording specifically states “men and women”. Although the numbers of those discriminated against when it comes to unequal wages may be higher for women, there are other cases of those of the same sex but different race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. which have experienced this same treatment.

Practical Implications:Managers of organizations in violation of this act can be prosecuted, whether the inconsistences were intentional or accidental. The manager along with the organization could face civil suits for violating this act. If this subject of equality amongst colleges of different sexes is not treated with a style of delicacy many hardships can occur within the organization. In business, managers never want negativity to outshine any positive attributes the organization hold because this affects long-term goals and possible prosperity.

Recommendations for Managers: Managers should use caution when it comes to allegations that their organization has inequality practices. Corporate heads and managers should be aware that their employees are different and some may work harder or more quickly to produce results and thus deserve to be compensated due to work ethic. Managers are to distinguish between those employees that do excel. Organizations need to hold firm in what their purpose is and who their employees are. Organizations should always analyze any methods that would be considered unfair treatment of employees.

“Distributive justice reflects the perceived fairness of decision-making outcomes” (Colquitt, Lepine, & Wesson, 2013, p. 208). If an employee is given assignments and completes those assignments, is it not fair that the employee be given other responsibilities, whether male or female? Employee exhibiting beneficial should be given proper compensation.

Suggested Resources: The Equal Pay Act of 1963, covers employees who receive unequal payments for equal amount of work based on sex. If an organization’s managers are confronted about this issue they can refer to several sources: The U.S. Department of Labor at The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at and the National Labor Relations Board at All the sites given also have business numbers.

References:

Cascio, W. F. (2013). Managing human resources: productivity, quality of work life, profits. Boston: McGraw-Hill

Colquitt, J. A., Lepine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2013). Organizational behavior: Improving performance and commitment in the workplace. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Housh, K. (2011). Different but equal? Inequalities in the workplace, the nature-based narrative, and the title vii prohibition on the masculinization of the “ideal worker”. Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, 17, 117-142.