A student in my career planning class recently asked me how it is possible that men can make more money than women while employed in equal positions. Students generally believe that it is illegal to discriminate. We were discussing salary negotiations, and I had indicated that women consistently receive lower pay. Sometimes it is because they are afraid to negotiate for fear of losing an offer. But more typically, women simply receive lower offers. My response to the question was "because men make the decisions." And because men negotiate. That has been the case for a long time, and it is not going to get any better any time soon. It is not going to get better until legislation changes the pattern of wage discrimination and until there are effective tools for discovering what the people around you are making.

Women are paid about 77% of what men are paid for working full time, according to a 2005 US Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Minority women are paid even less. Wage discrepancies are significant, despite the passage of the Equal Pay Act more than 40 years ago prohibiting employment discrimination. According to the US Department of Labor, women are paid less in every occupational classification for which information is available.

It all starts quite early in the career cycle. According to Andrea Koncz of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, "at the entry level, male college graduates typically receive more than female college graduates." And we know that just with compound interest, the differences are amplified over the years.

It happens in industry and it happens in the public sector: women do not receive equal pay for equal work. The cumulative effect is devastating and it is long lasting. The pay disparity affects women’s spending power and it diminishes their retirement earnings. It is a huge looming crisis for baby-boomer women who are beginning to wonder how they will be able to save enough money and accrue enough earnings to see them through their retirement years. Even when men work in female-dominated jobs, they are paid 20 percent more than the women who work in female-dominated jobs.

This is an issue that impacts both men and women. And it hurts American families.

Since the 1970’s, it has required two wage earners to support a reasonable middle class family life style. What is a reasonable life style? A home in a safe neighborhood, with good schools, parks and food on the table, with something left over to save for college and maybe a vacation or two each year. With inflation and economic conditions worsening, very few families can afford to have only one person bringing home a paycheck. And it is getting worse, not better. According to the National Organization for Women, "If women received the same wages as men who work the same number of hours, have the same education and union status, are the same age, and live in the same region of the country, then these women’s annual income would rise by $4,000 and poverty rates would be cut in half. Working families would gain an astounding $200 billion in family income annually."

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits gender discrimination in pay for individuals performing similar work at the same workplace. Since the act was passed it has been illegal to pay less “for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions.”

In April of 2007 the Supreme Court took a major step backwards when it ruled in the case of Lilly Ledbetter, a supervisor for GM who was paid 15% to 25% less than her male counterparts, including those with significantly less experience than her.

Although GM has a strict policy of secrecy on salaries, with employees forbidden to discuss their salaries, Lilly Ledbetter received an anonymous letter indicating that she had been underpaid for 19 years at GM. She filed a lawsuit and a jury of regular people awarded Ms. Ledbetter a $3 million settlement. A judge cut that ruling from $3 million to $360,000 due to the limitation inserted into the Civil Rights Act of 1991 during the first Bush administration.

GM pursued the issue all the way to the US Supreme Court. The Court ruled that even though she was not aware of the discrepancy for 19 years, she had to file her suit within 180 days of when it occurred for the very first time.

According to the National Organization for Women’ Liz Gilchrist “Ledbetter’s majority opinion effectively overturns 20 years of federal court cases and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rulings which had consistently ruled that a prohibited act of discrimination occurs each time a woman receives a paycheck that is less than a similarly situated man.”

The 2007 ruling effectively says that if you can keep it a secret, you can get away with paying less to women and minorities.

The US Senate tried to remedy the situation with a bill that would have sought equal pay protection and allowed women to sue for pay discrimination. The Senate Republicans killed the bill on a 56-42 vote. The bill needed 60 votes to pass the Senate. My guess is that most of those senators do not have wives who work and whose share of income supports the family.

On April 23rd Republican Senator John McCain said that he could not support the Senate bill that would have given equal pay for women because it would lead to more lawsuits. Well, Duh! Shouldn’t we have the right to protest unfair labor practices?

Typically, wage disparity is considered to be an issue in the private sector, a problem that does not exist in public employment. That, however, is not the case. In public employment situations, it can happen in much more subtle ways. In public employment, wage disparity discrimination is accomplished under the table through classification and promotion practices.

And it happens even in academia where liberal attitudes are the order of the day. In a recent report from CSU Chico, a sociology student documented the inequities in pay that exist among male and female academic staff, using her findings for her Senior Honors Thesis. At Chico, male tenured faculty earn an average of $6360 more than female tenure track faculty.

The Bee recently began publishing online a set of databases listing the salaries for everyone employed by the State of California. The data were public, but there was a still a great deal of uproar about the Bee’s decision to make the numbers accessible. The downside is that now your neighbor knows how much you earn. The upside is that salary and classification practices in the public sector are now transparent.

One CSUS manager that I know of discovered that one of the employees she supervised was making more than she earned. Armed with this knowledge, she requested a raise. She also discovered that one of her other employees was making less than others in her office who had less responsibility and who were in jobs that were not as complex. Armed with knowledge, she is actively working to correct the inequities and eliminate the discrepancies.

I looked at the salaries of the other student services professionals I worked with when I started here on campus more than 25 years ago in the CSUS Career Center. I found that the men who had been hired in that era and in that office (actually hired after me and after other women) have done much better over the years than the women who started out in the same classifications. The women have all moved on to positions involving greater responsibility, but no opportunity for promotion. The men do not work more hours or have jobs that are any more complex, or that require any greater skill or training, but they ended up classified into a higher tier and making $20,000 to $30,000 more per year than the women.

Secrecy is not a good thing, as was discovered by Lilly Ledbetter. Secrecy gives license for unequal treatment. What we need is transparency. One engineer I know who works in private industry has long made it his practice to tell his colleagues what he earns. His view is that he does not wish to be part of a conspiracy of secrecy, and he wants his fellow workers to have the opportunity to negotiate on equal footing. He is committed to sunshine and transparency in the workplace.

When this issue came up in my class and I commented on the workplace reality, my students were incredulous. They have grown up in an era in which racial and sexual divisions have become almost hardly visible at all. They are not amazed that an African-American male might become our next President, or that a woman remains so close behind him in the race for the White House. They assume that workplace inequality is illegal and therefore non-existent, and that gender and race are no longer a barrier to opportunity.

Perhaps you recall the famous dance team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or perhaps you are too young. In any case, it is often noted that they were perfectly matched and equally talented. In a famous 1982 Frank and Earnest cartoon, a woman says to Frank and Earnest: "Sure, he was great, but don’t forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did ... backwards and in high heels." The cartoon character might have added: "and he still got top billing."

This is a reality that will change, but it is a mistake to think that the struggle is over and that the issue can be ignored. It is the coming generation of workers who will make change happen.

IF YOU NEED A CAREER OR A SUMMER JOB THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE!

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER IN 3 HOURS!!

Career and Internship Job Seeking Strategy
Thursday, May 29
1:00-4:00 RVR 1006

Topics:

• Identify strengths, interests, job options; identify career goals & develop short and long term career plans!
• Develop a list of target companies and a strategy for getting the right career or internship job for you!
• Learn how to identify the best sources for job listings!
• Find out what you can expect in a technical interview and how to prepare for the most intense interviews.
• Write the best ever resume to get the job you want!
• Learn how to negotiate salaries effectively!

All ARE WELCOME- NO SIGN-UPS NECESSARY www.ecs.csus.edu/career

BOOK YOU NEED FOR THIS WORKSHOP: THE ULTIMATE CAREER PLANNING MANUAL FOR ENGINEERS AND COMPUTER SCIENTISTS – AVAILABLE IN THE CSUS BOOKSTORE AND ON-LINE.

ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS:

Next Fall take just one unit - 1 hour, 1 day a week to plan what you are going to do for the rest of your life!

The College of Engineering and Computer Science Needs Your Data

Please report any offers that you have received to ECS Career Services Web site:

 http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career  - click on the "Just Hired" link.

If you got a student position we need your data.  

If you have graduated in the past few years or if you are graduating this semester we need your data.  

The information you share is used for ABET reports and to help me identify trends in employment and salaries.

I keep your info confidential.  I only report the data!  I use your contact data to confirm and to keep in touch with you.

Cici,

It was great talking with you this morning. As I understand that time is of the essence here in order to get into the next newsletter, I have put together some information for you that you should be able to cut and paste for me.

I am looking for at least one (immediate need) electrical/electronic/microprocessor engineer intern that is looking for a career path to full time employment. This candidate will be involved with designing, testing, writing firmware, and learning the wide open area of electronics as they apply in the Medical Instruments field.

Vortran Medical Technology is a small R&D and manufacturing company that has been in Sacramento since 1983 and has been successful in developing products for use in pulmonary medicine and emergency response medicine. Vortran has now embarked upon an aggressive program to add sophisticated electrical and embedded processors into their line of pulmonary medical products.

Present needs are for someone to write small firmware programs in C for Microchip embedded microprocessors. The candidate will also be involved with helping take R&D prototype circuits to production. Designing hardware circuits to support the embedded microprocessors and debugging the code will require the candidate to have a strong knowledge of hardware and of standard laboratory test equipment. Most of the electronic design and debugging will involve digital electronics, however, there will be opportunities to help develop analog circuits for these products as well.

Cici, as I mentioned earlier, our needs are for at least one intern that would be interested in full time employment upon graduation (either BS or MS degrees). It is also anticipated that I will have multiple openings this summer once I begin the task of updating our present technology roadmap for Vortran Medical Technology, Inc.

My contact is:
Doug Wilner
Director New Product Development
Vortran Medical Technology 1, Inc.
21 Goldenland Court
Sacramento, CA 95834
(800) 434-4034

Please have students email their resumes.

Thanks, and best regards,
Doug Wilner
dwilner@vortran.com

Cici,

Could you please add this posting to your newsletter? We are looking for a junior or senior ME or MET student for the summer.

Thanks,

Ben Howser
JB Radiator Specialties, Inc.
8401 Specialty Circle
Sacramento, CA 95828

__________________________________

SUMMER JOB

Interested in Manufacturing?

JB Radiator Specialties, a premier manufacturer of custom-designed industrial cooling systems, is looking for an upper-level mechanical engineering student to perform CAD drafting and design work. The job is located in South Sacramento and will start in late May and run till early August. 40 hours per week. Rate of pay depends on experience. Required skills include AutoCAD and solid modeling experience. Experience with SolidEdge is preferred, but Solidworks or Pro-E is okay; we will train.

For consideration, please send resume to bhowser@jbradspec.com

Hi Cici,

As a subscriber to your newsletter, I found this funny and very relevant. It’s the top 10 real-life interview mistakes from CNN.

~Scott Stanley

Hello Cici,

I graduated from the EEE department in Dec. of 2004 and I now work for the State of California. My supervisor asked if I could forward the following job announcement. If you could distribute it to any EEE students who would be interested in working for the Telecommunication Division of the Dept. of General Services, we would appreciate it.

IT IS AN OBJECTIVE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ACHIEVE A DRUG-FREE STATE WORK PLACE. ANY APPLICANT FOR STATE EMPLOYMENT WILL BE EXPECTED TO BEHAVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS OBJECTIVE SINCE USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE, THE RULES GOVERNING CIVIL SERVICE AND THE SPECIAL TRUST PLACED IN PUBLIC SERVANTS.

WHO MAY APPLY
This is an OPEN SPOT examination for the Department of General Services. Anyone who meets the minimum qualifications as stated below may apply. Applications will not be accepted on a promotional basis. Career Credits do not apply.

HOW TO APPLY
Applications are available upon request and may be filed in person or by mail. Resumes alone will not be accepted. Applications (Form 678) must be POSTMARKED no later than the final filing date. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the final filing date will not be accepted for any reason. FAXED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Submit applications to:

NOTE:
Accepted applicants are required to bring either a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification to each phase of the examination.

SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS
If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, mark the appropriate box in Part 2 of the application. You will be contacted to make specific arrangements.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMITTANCE TO THE EXAMINATION
Applicants must meet the experience/education requirements by the final filing date. Your signature on your application indicates that you have read, understood and possess the qualifications required. Qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as “Either I”, or “Or II”, etc. For example, candidates possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern I, and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern II, may be admitted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

NOTE:
Applications/resumes MUST contain the following information: "to" and "from" dates (month/day/year), time base, civil service class title(s), and range, if applicable. College course information MUST include: title, semester or quarter credits, name of institution, completion dates, and degree (if applicable). Applications/resumes received without this information may be rejected.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Graduation from a curriculum in electrical or electronic engineering accredited by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, or equivalent qualifications. (Registration as a Senior in such a curriculum will admit applicants to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)

Or Possession of equivalent qualifications which may be demonstrated by qualifying in a written examination covering basic electrical engineering and by graduation from college in a curriculum which includes the courses normally included in a standard four-year course either in electrical or electronics engineering. (Registration as a Senior in such a curriculum will admit applicants to the qualifying written examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)

SPECIAL PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Willingness and ability to work at considerable heights above the ground.

THE POSITION
Under direction, the Electrical Engineer initially performs the less complex field office and electrical and electronic engineering work; with training, performs electrical designing, drafting, and inspection work of average difficulty; and does other related work. Positions are located in Sacramento.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION QUALIFICATION APPRAISAL INTERVIEW WEIGHTED 100%

The examination will consist of a Qualification Appraisal Interview weighted 100%, with a performance exercise. For the performance exercise, competitors will be allowed time prior to the interview to complete the performance exercise. The performance exercise will be considered as a segment of the QAP. The QAP will consist of pre-determined job-related questions. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, a minimum of 70% must be attained. COMPETITORS WHO DO NOT APPEAR FOR THE INTERVIEW WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE EXAMINATION. It is anticipated that interviews will be conducted during JUNE/JULY 2008 in Sacramento.

SCOPE
In addition to evaluating the competitor’s relative abilities as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, emphasis in the examining interview will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each competitor’s:

A. Knowledge of:

1. Computer theory and operation.
2. Mathematics related to electrical engineering.
3. Electrical and electronic theory and practices.
4. Modern electrical apparatus, communications, instrumentation.
5. Direct and alternating current circuits.
6. Methods, materials, tools and equipment used in electrical and electronic construction work.
7. National Electric Code and Electrical Safety Orders of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

1. Do electrical and electronic design work.
2. Make neat and accurate drawings and technical sketches.
3. Make electrical calculations.
4. Inspect electrical installations.
5. Specify necessary equipment and materials.
6. Accurately interpret drawings, circuit diagrams, and specifications.
7. Maintain cooperative relations with employees whose work is being inspected.
8. Analyze situations accurately and take effective action.
9. Make effective oral and written reports.

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION
An OPEN-SPOT eligible list will be established for the Department of General Services. This list will be abolished 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE
Veterans’ Preference Credit will be added to the final score of all competitors who are successful in this examination, and who qualify for, and have requested these points. Due to changes in the law, which were effective January 1, 1996, VETERANS WHO HAVE ACHIEVED PERMANENT CIVIL SERVICE STATUS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE VETERANS’ CREDITS.

Employers are hiring from the resumes posted on our web site at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career.  If you have not already posted your resume on the ECS Career Services Office Web Site, now is the time!!!  Just click on the Post Your Resume button!

Students are reporting multiple offers from using a combination of the resume posting service, the JETX job listings, and from Career Day 2008.  If you missed Career Day 2008 you can still access the hiring and contact information on the ECS Career Services web site at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career.

Cool new feature!!!  Employers are able to search your resume now with key words!

I also send resumes out to companies so send me a soft copy in MS Word.  cici@csus.edu