Question

In an agency in which there is a suspected disparity in the pay rates of male and female social workers, the female social workers, the female social workers decide that th difference must be addressed. They should FIRST:

A. educate colleagues about how to file discrimination claims
B. encourage colleagues to become more politically active
C. advocate with the director to increase salaries of female workers
D. initiate a salary survey to determine whether discrpancies exist

Answer 1

The first step to address suspected pay disparity among social workers should be to initiate a salary survey. If disparities are found, further actions can be taken in conjunction with antidiscrimination laws to ensure equitable pay.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the case of suspected disparity in the pay rates of male and female social workers, the first step should be to initiate a salary survey to determine whether discrepancies exist. By conducting a proper salary survey, it allows for a fact-based approach to address any potential pay inequities. If the survey reveals a disparity, it would then be appropriate to pursue further options such as educating colleagues on filing discrimination claims, advocating with the director to address salary issues, or encouraging political activism to support equity in the workplace. Combining these efforts with antidiscrimination laws may help to reduce the earnings gap between different genders and races by ensuring that pay is equitable and based on job-related criteria rather than discriminatory practices.