Teacher field guide
Social law
Same work. Different pay. Why?
Jordy and Gia worked the same event. Why are their rates different, and how do you ask?
Pay gaps can come from fair criteria, mistakes or discrimination, and workers usually can’t tell which from a paycheck alone. Knowing what the law protects, including the right most private-sector workers have to talk about pay, helps young workers ask without guessing or getting silenced.
What students make
Chart plus a one-sentence question
The civic idea
Words that do the work.
- Equal Pay ActLey de Igualdad Salarial
A 1963 federal law requiring equal pay for substantially equal work regardless of sex, with some allowed exceptions.
One of the laws the EEOC page describes. It covers sex-based pay differences, not every difference.
- Title VIITítulo VII
Part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 barring employment discrimination, including pay, based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
Hidden Figures is set in the early 1960s, before Title VII passed. Today it covers pay decisions at covered employers.
- CompensationCompensación
All pay and benefits, including rates, bonuses and overtime.
Jordy’s statement shows $16.50 an hour; Gia’s shows $18.00. Both worked setup and closing.
- Legitimate factorFactor legítimo
A reason other than a protected trait that can lawfully explain a pay difference, like seniority or job duties.
Gia is listed as “shift lead,” which might explain the difference, if she actually did lead work.
- Right to discuss payDerecho a hablar del salario
Federal labor law protects most private-sector employees who talk with coworkers about pay.
Jordy and Gia can compare statements. The choice to go public is Jordy’s.
- Claim vs. findingSospecha y conclusión
A claim is what someone suspects; a finding is what an investigation establishes.
Gia says, “We have a question, not a finding.”
We were both there till close. I want to know why the numbers differ. Not my statement in a post before we’ve even asked.
The evidence
Handle the case file.
Every artifact comes with a question. The captions are the lesson.
FORMSaturday event, paid the following Friday
Jordy’s pay statement (illustrative)
FORMPosted the Wednesday before
Event crew schedule with job titles
CHATSunday, 1:15 p.m.
Jordy and Gia comparing notes
The workshop
45 minutes, block by block.
5 min
Two statements
TeacherShow illustrative statements: Jordy $16.50/hr, Gia $18.00/hr, same event, same hours.
StudentsWrite three possible explanations.
CheckLists include legitimate and illegitimate reasons.
8 min
Compare the work
TeacherHand out the event schedule and job titles.
StudentsBuild a table: duties, hours, title, rate.
CheckStudents notice Gia’s “shift lead” title and ask what it involved.
10 min
What the law covers
TeacherSummarize the EEOC youth page: Equal Pay Act, Title VII, legitimate factors.
StudentsMatch each explanation to “could be lawful,” “could be unlawful” or “need facts.”
CheckMost land in “need facts.”
7 min
Talking about pay
TeacherExplain that federal labor law protects most private-sector workers who discuss pay.
StudentsDiscuss: whose choice is it to go public?
CheckStudents say Jordy decides.
12 min
Write the question
TeacherModel: “We compared these duties and hours. Can you explain the rate?”
StudentsDraft Jordy’s message to the supervisor.
CheckMessage names duties and hours and asks for the criteria.
3 min
Exit
TeacherFrame: “An explanation that would satisfy me is __. One that wouldn’t is __.”
StudentsComplete it.
CheckAnswers distinguish legitimate factors.
Differentiated routes
One case. Seven ways in.
Each route changes what students read, make and prove, not only how long it takes.
Middle school
Grades 6–8: Make a side-by-side chart of Jordy’s and Gia’s work, then write one question Jordy could ask.
- Sources
- The two illustrative statements and the event schedule.
- Product
- Chart plus a one-sentence question
- Raises the rigor
- Name one reason for the difference that would be fair and one that wouldn’t.
Supports
- Comparison table
- Frames: “Both __. But __. I want to ask __.”
- Vocabulary: rate, duties, fair, reason
- Partner talk first
Success looks like
- Compares duties and hours accurately
- Asks a specific question
- Doesn’t assume the cause
- Respects Jordy’s privacy
High school
Grades 9–10: Build a private comparison sheet and draft Jordy’s message to the supervisor.
- Sources
- Statements, schedule and EEOC youth page.
- Product
- Sheet plus a message of 80–120 words
- Raises the rigor
- Separate what Jordy knows from what Gia has chosen to share.
Supports
- Comparison-sheet template
- Model message
Success looks like
- Accurate comparison
- Distinguishes known from assumed
- Specific, respectful question
- Accurate legal vocabulary
High school
Grades 11–12: Write a policy memo for the event company recommending pay-transparency practices.
- Sources
- Case materials, EEOC page and a teacher-selected article on pay-range posting laws.
- Product
- Memo, 400–500 words
- Raises the rigor
- Explain that some states and cities require pay ranges in job postings, and weigh costs and benefits for a small employer.
Supports
- Memo template
- Options matrix
Success looks like
- Accurate description of federal protections
- Notes state and local variation
- Weighs employer concerns
- Clear recommendations
High school
Honors: Connect Hidden Figures’ portrayal of workplace inequality to present-day pay protections.
- Sources
- Official Hidden Figures synopsis, the EEOC page and one historical source on NASA’s West Area Computers.
- Product
- Essay, 600–700 words
- Raises the rigor
- Distinguish the film’s dramatization from historical record.
Supports
- Then/now chart
- Caution: film is a dramatization
Success looks like
- Accurate history with sources
- Distinguishes film from record
- Accurate present-day law
- Thoughtful connection
AP English Language
AP Lang: Analyze how an employer’s pay explanation (teacher-provided) persuades, then evaluate whether it answers Jordy’s question.
- Sources
- A teacher-written employer reply and the case facts.
- Product
- Analysis, about 500 words
- Raises the rigor
- Identify vague criteria like “experience” and explain what evidence would make them credible.
Supports
- Claims-and-evidence chart
- Commentary stems
Success looks like
- Defensible thesis
- Analyzes specific claims
- Explains what evidence is missing
- Commentary explains effect
Middle Years
IB MYP: Investigate “Why do people doing similar work get paid differently?” and present findings.
- Sources
- Case materials; global context: Fairness and development.
- Product
- Presentation plus reflection
- Raises the rigor
- Compare legitimate and discriminatory explanations.
Supports
- Inquiry statement frame
- Slide template
Success looks like
- Focused question
- Accurate content
- Balanced explanations
- Reflection on fairness
Diploma
IB DP: Analyze pay transparency as a tool for equality.
- Sources
- Case materials and EEOC page.
- Product
- Analysis, 700–900 words
- Raises the rigor
- Evaluate whether transparency addresses causes or only symptoms.
Supports
- Perspective table: worker, employer, regulator
Success looks like
- Several perspectives
- Accurate legal content
- Evaluates limits
- Reasoned conclusion
Access for every learner
- Provide a pre-built comparison table
- Read the EEOC page aloud with visuals
- Spanish vocabulary: salario, tarifa, discriminación, criterios
- Allow oral message drafting
- Reduce to comparing duties and rates
Extension
- Find your state labor department’s page on pay equity
- Research the EEOC’s filing deadlines and how they vary by state
Annotated student work
What a draft shows us.
Write Jordy’s message to the supervisor about the pay difference.
First draft
Hi, I found out Gia makes more than me and 1we did the exact same work so 2this is discrimination. I know it’s because of who I am. 5I want the same rate as her starting now or 4I’m going to post about it everywhere so people know how this company treats workers. 3I have her pay stub as proof. I’ve worked here longer than some people and I always show up on time. Let me know by tomorrow. Jordy
- 1Evidence Did you? Gia was listed as shift lead. Compare duties first.
- 2Gap That’s a finding. You have a question so far.
- 3Audience Gia’s pay is hers to share. Ask her before using it.
- 4Gap Threats end conversations. Ask for the criteria first.
- 5Strength Clear goal. Pair it with a request for the reason.
Revised
Hi Dana, I have a question about my pay rate for the Saturday event. I worked setup and closing, from 3 to 11 p.m., and ran the caption and audio check. My statement shows $16.50 an hour. I understand another worker on the same shift was paid a higher rate. Could you explain how rates are set for event crew, including what the shift-lead role involves and how someone qualifies? If there are criteria I haven’t met, I’d like to know what they are. I’d appreciate a reply this week. Thanks, Jordy
Assessment
One-page rubric.
Mark the evidence you see. Leave room for a comment and a next step.
| Criterion | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Relies on assumption. | Mentions the gap only. | Cites duties, hours and rate. | Cites records and acknowledges what isn’t known. |
| Reasoning | Declares discrimination. | Assumes the reason. | Asks for criteria before concluding. | Identifies possible legitimate factors to test. |
| Audience & purpose | Threatens or exposes coworkers. | Polite but vague. | Specific question to the right person. | Specific question that protects coworkers’ privacy. |
| Revision | No change. | Tone only. | Replaces conclusion with a question. | Explains how changes protect Jordy and get an answer. |
Evidence I saw
Next step
Standards
What this case teaches, by the book.
CCSS 6–8 3
RH.6-8.7Students integrate pay-statement figures with a written explanation of duties.RI.7.8Students assess whether a pay difference alone is sufficient evidence of unfair treatment.W.8.1Students write a respectful workplace question supported by records.
CCSS 9–10 3
RH.9-10.8Students assess how far the evidence supports a claim of discrimination.RI.9-10.1Students cite the EEOC youth page precisely.W.9-10.1Students argue what information is needed before drawing a conclusion.
CCSS 11–12 3
RH.11-12.8Students evaluate the premises behind competing explanations for the gap.RI.11-12.7Students integrate statements, schedules and legal guidance.W.11-12.1Students argue for pay-transparency practices with counterclaims.
C3 Framework 3
D2.Civ.12.9-12Students analyze how workers use equal-pay laws to address pay issues.D2.Civ.14.9-12Students analyze historical and contemporary means of protecting rights at work.D2.His.1.9-12Students evaluate how Hidden Figures’ historical context shaped work at NASA.
AP English Language 3
Claims and Evidence (CLE)Students separate an observed difference from an established cause.Rhetorical Situation (RHS)Students write to a supervisor who controls Jordy’s shifts.Style (STL)Students use neutral, precise language that invites explanation.
IB MYP 3
Individuals and Societies A: Knowing and understandingStudents explain federal equal-pay protections accurately.Individuals and Societies D: Thinking criticallyStudents evaluate competing explanations for a pay gap.Individuals and Societies C: CommunicatingStudents communicate a workplace question clearly.
IB DP 2
Global Politics — key concepts: equality, justice and rightsStudents analyze how law addresses unequal pay.Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and the knower (core theme)Students ask what a worker can know about pay decisions from their position.
Take it off the page
Know how pay decisions are made where you work.
- Ask for your pay rate and how it’s set in writing when you start a job
- Keep your own record of hours and duties
- Talk with a trusted adult or counselor if something seems off
- Look up your state labor department’s pay-equity page