Comparable Worth, Pay Equity, and Public Policy

This collection of papers on comparable worth written by political scientists contains the best annotated bibliography on comparable worth that this reviewer has yet seen. One notable paper categorizes the 50 states as to whether they have conducted a comparable worth legislation, and have implemented comparable worth. Other contributors explain how job evaluation can be performed to implement comparable worth, describe the difficulties and possible bias in job evaluation methods, and present US case studies. . . . It has an outstanding bibliography and overview of many important issues. Choice

Legislation outlawing sexual discrimination and mandating policies of equal pay for equal work has clearly failed to produce the intended results. Women workers continue to be paid substantially less than men, and more and more families headed by women have sunk below the poverty level. This volume of essays focuses on major issues that must be faced before a public policy promoting pay equity can become a reality. Combining the contributions of specialists from several disciplines, it offers statistical comparisons and analyses of wage inequities in various occupations, industries, and regions; case studies of comparable worth programs; and a conceptual framework for approaching the problem on a policy level.

RITA MAE KELLY is Professor of Justice Studies, Political Science and Women's Studies, Arizona State University.

JANE BAYES is Professor of Political Science at California State University, Northridge.