What does this blog, Mary Tyler Moore, and Super Bowl LI have in common?
Mary Tyler Moore and Super Bowl LI each brought pay equity into the spotlight. The Pay Equity Advisor Blog will spotlight pay equity, bringing you analysis and commentary from Jackson Lewis attorneys on all things related to compensation and pay equity.
For those of you still wondering about the connection between Mary Tyler Moore, Super Bowl LI, and pay equity:
Mary Tyler Moore was an actress perhaps was best known for her role as a single woman working as a producer for a local television station in the sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Moore is celebrated as having “incarnated the modern woman on TV.” In 1972, in the first episode of the third season, Moore’s character, Mary Richards, took on the issue of pay equity, challenging her salary after finding out her male predecessor had been paid more.
Super Bowl LI likewise became a platform for pay equity, at least for 60 seconds. One of the most talked-about Super Bowl ads this year came from Audi, which touted its commitment to equal pay in a 60-second spot about a man and his daughter. The ad, which was released before game day, drew praise and criticism from viewers.
Why should employers care about pay equity?
The issue of pay equity certainly is not new, as shown by its appearance in a nationally televised sitcom nearly 45 years ago. What is unprecedented is the amount of public attention the issue has garnered and continues to garner. Activist investor groups have pushed the issue by buying large stakes in public companies in hopes of influencing change for the public good, keeping pressure on companies to look at and be transparent about their pay practices. Public figures, ranging from the Pope to professional athletes to Hollywood and television actors, are embracing and continuing the discussion, keeping the issue at the forefront. Moreover, an increasing number of states and local governments, such as California, Massachusetts, New York, and Philadelphia, are stepping up their legislative efforts to close the pay gap as the Trump Administration’s policy stance is expected to be business friendly.
The Jackson Lewis Pay Equity Advisor Blog will provide comprehensive updates on pay equity laws and practical strategies for employers facing hot button issues surrounding compensation and pay equity.