Pay equity is a critical issue for employers — and it should be top of mind for those in the manufacturing industry.

A number of states enacted laws designed to strengthen equal pay protections and improve pay transparency in 2021, and more are expected to follow. These laws reflect a continued and growing focus on the “gender pay gap” and a growing risk for employers that do not take steps to address any inequities in their own workforce.

Issue for Manufacturers

According to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women, on average, often earn significantly less than men in many manufacturing-related jobs.

In 2020, for example, women supervisors of production and operating workers earned, on average, 26.8% less than their male counterparts. Women truck drivers earned 17.3% less than men in the same role. Across all the “transportation and material moving occupations,” women were paid, on average, 20.9% less than men. In the “production, transportation, and material moving occupations,” they were paid 22.9% less. Both are worse than the nationwide gender gap, meaning, the difference in pay between men and women in these fields is greater than it is in other industries.

The Labor Crunch Can Increase the Risk

Equal Pay Act (EPA) claims do not require proof of discriminatory intent. Whether an employer intends to pay employees less based on their sex is irrelevant. Employees only need show that they were paid less than someone of the opposite sex for jobs requiring...

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