Equal Pay Act History

The 1963 US Equal Pay Act required equal pay for equal work, when women earned roughly 59 cents per male dollar; the ratio is now around 82 to 84 cents.

Overview

The act amended the wage law to ban sex-based differentials for equal work, enforced through the labor department and later the EEOC. The full-time median ratio rose from roughly 59 cents in 1963 to the low 80s today, with debates over how much reflects discrimination versus occupation, hours and motherhood. The 2009 Ledbetter act reopened stale pay claims, and the EU's 2023 transparency directive mandates reporting from 2026. Figures are approximate census measures.