Final answer:
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which intended to ensure women's equality under the law, was not ratified by enough states to become part of the Constitution. Hence, it did not contribute directly to ensuring women's equality in the workplace; however, other laws have been implemented to combat gender discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Equal Rights Amendment and Women's Equality in the Workplace
The statement that the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has helped ensure women's equality in the workplace is false. The ERA was introduced in Congress in 1923 and stated that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." Despite this, the amendment was not ratified by a sufficient number of states after it passed Congress in 1972. Therefore, it never became part of the U.S. Constitution. Nonetheless, other federal laws and regulations, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent interpretations and policies, have helped to address gender discrimination in the workplace.
The lack of ERA ratification prompted many to worry that protective laws for women might be invalidated, including workplace regulations on working hours and physical labor, as well as welfare programs like mother's pensions. Opposition also arose in the 1970s as some feared the loss of gender-based legal protections that they believed were advantageous to women. While the ERA's direct impact was never enforced due to its failure to be ratified, it left a significant legacy in the movement for gender equality and influenced subsequent laws and social reforms aimed at reducing gender discrimination.