by Carol Gustke

Created on: June 29, 2007   Last Updated: March 22, 2009

Hellooo...What's wrong with this picture?

Of course men and women should get equal pay. If both apply for the same job, the one who closely matches the qualifications sought after, should be hired and given the same salary, regardless of gender. If a company fills vacancies determined by gender, they are only shooting themselves in the foot.

Most individuals make tough sacrifices in order to obtain a higher education. In many cases, it takes years to pay off student loans. These individuals are investing in their future, and ours. To pay one person more than the other based on their gender is counter productive.

In the past, women had little input in terms of their salaries. It was almost a given that men were offered more, even if a woman was better qualified. Thankfully, that is not as true today. However, the practice has not completely disappeared.

Women have made great progress over the years. They rose as one voice and defeated the law which denied them the privilege to vote. During the industrial revolution, women proved their capabilities by taking on outside jobs while their husband fought a war. This opened the door of enlightenment for women. They sought more education in order to compete in the job market.

Only the most naive believe that a women's place is in the home. Or that women should remain barefoot and pregnant. Today, women have choices. Some choose to stay home, others choose to work. Neither choice is mandatory. Neither choice is better than the other.

Companies today are cognitive of the danger of salary discrepancies. They can be hauled into court or lose their licence by practicing unequal pay rate, based on gender.

But it isn't just women that experience unequal pay. Men too, have had to battle against this dilemma. Cases have been reported where men were offered a lower salary for doing the same job as a women employee who received a higher salary. This is a pure case of discrimination.

Companies who practice hiring employees based on gender should be sued. The requirement for equal pay for men and women should be required in order for a company to stay in business. We should never discount an individuals ability because of their gender.

The constitution states that all men are created equal. This means women too.

It only makes sense to practice equal pay. Anything less than that smell of discrimination. And no one likes to be discriminated against.

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