The issue of comparable worth pits against each other two cherished American values: the ethic of nondiscrimination verses the free enterprise system.

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Comparable worth aims to address gender-based pay discrimination by requiring that employers pay employees of both sexes equally for work requiring similar levels of skill, effort, and responsibility. This often requires employers to re-evaluate pay scales and adjust wages, which some argue is an affront to the free market system. However, proponents of comparable worth argue that it is a necessary measure to ensure that all workers are fairly compensated, regardless of gender or other non-work-related factors. Therefore, the issue of comparable worth does indeed present a tension between the values of nondiscrimination and free enterprise.

The Issue of Comparable Worth Pits Against Each Other Two