26.6 F
Spokane
Friday, February 14, 2025
spot_img
HomeCommentaryJudaism's stance on equal pay

Judaism’s stance on equal pay

Date:

Related stories

The old man in the mirror just called me ‘kid’

When the author doesn't recognize his aging face in the mirror, he decides to embrace it. He knows aging is a journey of accepting who he is in the moment.

Happy Black History Month?

February has been known as Black History Month since 1976. This year, the month takes more ominous tones in light of Trump administrations war against DEI.

Dreams don’t have to be dreamy to be true

We can romanticize history's dreamy dreamers, but their daily realities were fraught with struggle. This doesn't mean the dreams were wrong, but that they are worth our perserverance.

Follow Bishop Budde’s example: Advocate for universal values with compassion

Universal values like love and mercy guide all faiths. Leaders like the Dalai Lama and Bishop Budde advocate for those values, and we can do the same with compassion.

Biblical marriage shouldn’t dictate who or how to love

Many don't realize how controversial a biblical marriage can be. Because of this, the author shows how other ways to people love one another and decide to couple are just as valid.

Our Sponsors

spot_img

By Hyphen Parent

Patricia Arquette’s Oscar speech has made wage equality a popular topic of discussion. She declared that “It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all…”

While she is not observant, Arquette is ethnically Jewish (her mother was Jewish) and her stance is consistent with the Torah’s teachings on work and pay.

Leviticus 19:13 tells us, “You shall not defraud your fellow. You shall not commit robbery. The wages of a laborer shall not remain with you until morning.”

Deuteronomy 24:15 says, “You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger in one of the communities of your land. You must pay him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets, for he is needy and surely depends on it…”

In America, on average, the American Association of University Women reports that in 2013, white women made 78 percent of what their white male counterparts earned. African American women made 64 percent and Hispanic or Latina women earned 54 percent of the average white male’s earnings. The gap in male to female pay widens as women get older.

Hadassah, a Jewish women’s organization has repeatedly supported equal pay. In one of their action alerts, they report that it takes a white woman of compatible education and experience an extra four months to earn what her white male counterpart earned in a year. Even more work is required for women of color to catch up to their white male counterparts.

While some people have misguided notions of Judaism and may picture all religious Jewish women at home tending to a large brood of children, most Jewish women work outside the home. Some are stay-at-home-moms. Many are not. And even among those who do stay home, many will return to the work force. In some ultra-Orthodox families, the family has agreed that the husband will dedicate his time to learning Torah, so the woman works and provides the sole income.

According to Jewish law and ethics, those women (and their non-Jewish counterparts) are entitled to be paid fairly and equally.

The mitzvah of prompt and fair payment applies to all workers: men, women, Jew, non-Jew, rich or poor (although special emphasis is placed on the poor). They must be compensated adequately and in a timely fashion.
Hyphen Parent
Hyphen Parent
Dorothy-Ann Parent (better known as Hyphen) is a writer, a traditional Jew, a seeker of justice, a lover of stories and someone who’s best not left unattended in a bookshop or animal shelter.

Our Sponsors

spot_img
spot_img
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x