Getting paid what you are worth in the sciences...

Here is an article on gender equity to use as a common starting point for discussion on this topic.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/4628221/Gender-Neutral-Job-Evaluation-for-Equal-Pay-Guide

Remember if you are teaching women and men about science, equal pay for work would be a good topic of discussion.

How would you feel if you were a woman with a doctorate doing a job well and a man with a master's got hired at double your salary, and, he couldn't do the job (and he was not related to the boss)?

How would you feel if you were told you couldn't get a military research position because you were over-age, yet 6 men over-age got hired with less experience than you have?

How would you feel if you were Harvard-educated and had a baby and you got re-structured...out of a job?

How would you feel if you didn't get any pay bonuses for your awards because they got awarded after you had retired (while men get the awards at much younger ages and get bonuses as a result)?

How would you feel if you were a graduate student and you didn't get the job though you were the best candidate because the man in your department (who, by the way does illegal drugs) has a family and, "needs," a job (What, women with families don't need jobs? What about single women, don't they have to eat?)?

These are questions to think about, especially if you are hiring people, because these situations and many more like them are still happening.

How would you feel if you went to the same universities as a man, had better grades, more appropriate work experience and better letters of recommendations, yet, he got the job you both applied for, because he was married and had children? (but, so were you!!!)