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From: jee@ihnp1.UUCP (John Emrich)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.flame
Subject: Re: Allstate Insurance says women don't deserve equal pay with men
Message-ID: <241@ihnp1.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-May-84 11:06:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnp1.241
Posted: Mon May 21 11:06:38 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 22-May-84 07:16:13 EDT
References: <621@pyuxqq.UUCP> <123@mako.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 43

I and my wife were former employees of Allstate over 7 years ago.
At that time it was common knowledge though out my wife's department
(commercial underwriting) that the some women got paid less for doing the
same work as the men.  However in the department I was in (software
& systems) no such descripancy existed. In fact management went to
some extreme measures to insure that pay and other factors where
the same between males & females as well as between other minority
groups. In fact some of the measures got down to amount of office
space for a given title.  This view was held by management all the
way up to the vice president level.  However, our area had a reputation
of being better run than some other areas in the company. In fact
Allstate insurance at the time consisted of 7 different companies (even
more now), many of which was run sort of automnously.  The problem
stated sounds like a clerk employed in a regional or probably a
field office (I am guessing).  Historically many of those positions
have been predominately filled by women.  Also Allstate has had problems
in some of these offices at times with inequatable treatment (such
as pay).  However, when the home office finds out about these they
usually quickly address the problem and things back into line within
a reasonable time frame.  I speak from seeing a significant number of
cases go this route.  However this proces doesn't work instantly.
In fact usually there have been several lawsuits per year initiated
against Allstate by former employees. These ranged from invalid
reason for discharge to unequal pay.
Also equal pay for equal work is a catchy phrase, but I thing
a more appropriate phrase (and hopefully a little more accurate)
is "equal pay for equal capability".
Capability is something that is expressed in on the job performance.
But it also includes how a person handles a job related situation
that does not fit the book. (By analogy it is said it only takes
1 year to become a medical doctor when everthing works right, but
it takes another 4 years to learn what to do when things go wrong.
I would the doctor have that additional 4 years).
	However I am surprised to here the president of Allstate,
(I mean Allstate Enterprises Inc. (of which insurance is only one of
their business lines)) say such a thing publicly.  It would be better
to see the quote in the context it was made.
-- 
	J.E. Emrich
	IW 1T-457
	979-7440
	Bell Labs - Indian Hill
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