Fifty Years After the Equal Pay ACT

The Equal Pay Act established a basic labor standard requiring employers to pay women and men the same wages when performing jobs that are equal, or substantially equal, in content. It was the first national labor standard to address a widespread practice of paying women less simply because they were women, and it laid the foundation for future workforce policies. Other important legislation and policies soon followed, which helped broaden employment opportunities for women and strengthened their ability to challenge unlawful discrimination.