Final answer:
The Gender wage gap is the term that denotes the difference in pay between women and men for similar work in the labor force, even when considering factors like education and career choices. Despite the Equal Pay Act aimed at ensuring equal pay, the gender wage gap persists due to systemic discrimination patterns. Laws have reduced the wage gap over time, but a measurable disparity still exists.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that is based on evidence that women and men are paid differently for similar work in the labor force, counting all full-time workers, is A) Gender wage gap. Despite the existence of the Equal Pay Act, which requires equal pay for equal work for men and women, significant disparities in earnings still exist. Studies have shown that, even when considering factors such as education, career, and life choices, there remains a portion of the wage gap that cannot be explained by anything other than gender discrimination in pay.
Various reports, including those from the White House and the PayScale, have historically indicated that women earn less for every dollar earned by men, highlighting the persistence of the gender wage gap. It is also important to recognize that the glass ceiling, an invisible barrier preventing women from reaching the highest levels of an organization, contributes to this ongoing issue. The labor market discrimination encompasses not only gender but also race, with both women and minority groups experiencing wage disparities.
While the gender wage gap has diminished over time due to anti-discrimination laws, a gap still remains. For instance, a Department of Labor study found that when comparing salaries of men and women with similar educational achievement, work experience, and occupation, the gender wage gap was around 5%.