Essay Example on Closing the Gender Wage Gap: What Needs To Be Done?

The gender wage gap seems to be an issue that keeps surfacing every few years with consecutive administration. The article "Still a Gender Wage Gap" by Jeff Madrick looks at some of the issues that contribute to the pay gap and how they can be addressed to increase the productivity of the population in the United States. The article talks about some factors that have contributed to the gender pay gap. According to Madrick (2004), the United States government is yet to enforce some policies that could help reduce the gender pay gap. The article also makes recommendations on steps that can be taken to address the issue. The most important factor in reducing the gender pay gap is correcting subtle forms of prejudice in early school years, which encourage women to take up jobs that pay less. On the other hand, the least important method of reducing the pay gap is a serious commitment to quality daycare for all and high-level personnel.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Correcting subtle forms of prejudice in early school is the most important factor because it makes a significant contribution to the gender pay gap. According to Madrick (2004), a far higher number of women are working in jobs that pay at the bottom of the income scale. Although some of that has to do with family responsibilities, a significant portion of the gap is due to prejudice in early school. Even though women have become almost as educated as men, they are still accessing lower-level jobs. It seems imperative that the government should work to encourage young girls in high school to take up majors in sciences and mathematics, which usually have the potential for high earnings. Over the years, girls have been pushed into careers that have fewer demands on time and effort and, in return, pay less. As a result, the proposition made by the article to get more girls to take up high paying careers can work to reduce the pay gap by getting the girls to compete on the same level as the boys.

On the other hand, the commitment to daycare seems to be the least important method because such options already exist. The country is not limited in terms of quality daycare services that can enable the parent to return to work early. As a matter of fact, for those high-level employees who make a decent income, they have a wide array of options available to them because of their high income. Also, the reason for most women stagnating in their careers in the maternity leaves, when the child is still whining and not old enough for daycare. In such cases, the mother had no option but to stay with her child. Providing quality daycare will do little to increase the number of hours that such a person spends at work. Sometimes, the mother's productivity is lower than that of her male counterparts when she brings her child to work. That negatively affects her career progression. Wome may have to put in more effort for them to maintain the same level of productivity as their male counterparts.

In general, the article makes a good argument by combining the author's insights and the research results from peer-reviewed sources, as well as reports from governmental organizations. The research results combined with reports from organizations such as the Census Bureau combine to produce a credible article that uses accurate information to present an argument. Also, most of the recommendations made by the article, such as regular audits of firms to ensure no gender discrimination is taking place, are also important points to consider. A good part of the gender wage gap is due to the discrimination of women at the workplace. Gender discrimination is illegal in the United States, and the government can use its law enforcement machinery to prosecute those that violate such laws to ensure an equal and just society.

References

Madrick, J. (2004, June 10). Still A Gender Pay Gap. The New York Times, pp. 1-4.