Economic Discrimination: Debunking the Myths

Many arguments come up when one brings up the wage gap. These range from excuses, justifications, and false researchers. Some of such claims state that the wage gap is a lie, based on false conclusions and maybe even people who get discriminated are simply asking for it.

While some of these arguments might have some logic to them, many are simply unfounded and can be tackled with a little effort.

Myth #1: The Wage Gap Effects Only Women

The Truth: The Wage Gap Affects Everyone.
According to statistics colored women earn exponentially less than white women in the U.S.A annually, disabled people earn 37% less on average and white men earn more than Asian, Hispanic and Black men altogether.
In fact, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has the liability to make laws protecting the following groups.

• Racial groups
• Religious groups
• Ethnic groups
• Groups of the same National Identity
• People over the age of 40.
• Physically or mentally disabled groups
• Sexual Orientation and Identity (this includes discrimination against
• pregnant, gender identity, and LGBTQIA groups)
• A person who participated in an employment discrimination investigation
This is because, historically, certain groups have had an advantage with access to resources than others. Consequentially, while there is some difference of wage between men and women, they are heightened with other factors coming into play. Some of these factors include age, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, and identity.

Myth 2: People Who Earn Less Are Less Educated

The Truth: A Degree Does Not Mean High Pay

In fact, the groups with the highest number of college graduates in the U.S belong to Asian ethnicity. Additionally, women on average get more degrees than men, and generally have more experience and yet they earn the same as men with no degrees.

Conclusively, they wage gap occurs because certain qualified groups are being valued over other unqualified ones for discriminatory reasons.

Myth 3: People Who Earn Less “Choose” Such Jobs

The Truth: When a ‘devalued’ group enters a certain industry, the entire industry gets paid less.

This has been explained in the Atlantic, where it was argued that simply the presence of women in the field of teaching, programming, and various ‘feminine’ occupation devalues perceptions about that sector. This research quantified 50 years of data.

Myth 4: People Who Earn Less Do Not Work Hard

The Truth: Economic Inequalities Have Little Correlation with Work Hours

The truth is that over the past four decades, the group that has clocked in more hours is Hispanic men, followed by white men. Similarly, Black women have clocked in more hours than White Women.

If economic equalities were truly about the number of hours you put into your labor, then Hispanic men and black women would be the richest group however that is not the case.

Closing the Gender Pay Gap

It becomes important to close the wage gap between women and minorities because. Labor rights influence an individual’s lifestyle as well as the quality of life of the people dependent on them.

However, if the current labor conditions sustain themselves, it would be seven decades before the wage gap is closed. The measures that need to be taken must be speedy, and efficient. Every issue pertaining to it needs to be carefully analyzed and the policies re-evaluated.

According to the International Labor Office 2016, this may include incorporation of various legislative and monitoring mechanisms, which may or may not be restricted to the following:

1. Understanding the causes of economic indiscrimination, as it does not seem to be rooted in the country’s economic development.
2. Challenging the concept of “minimum” wage and setting standards of “fair” and “decent” wages instead; at international or domestic level
3. Establishing a culture of audit transparency for inspection by trade unions.
4. Provision of effective multi-leveled legal aid in case of violation.