In its strictest sense closing the pay equity gap means eliminating differences in pay that cannot be explained by appropriate reasons like role location performance or tenure providing equal pay for equal work a pay equity gap exists when there are differences in pay not related to these factors and further one class of employees commonly women are disproportionately affected. Theres a common misconception that unequal pay and the gender pay gap are the same thing but they are actually quite different equal pay men and women paid the same amount for doing the same work good to know a legal requirement in new zealand since 1972 pay equity men and women paid the same for doing work of equal value. The gender wage gap refers to the difference in earnings between women and men 2 experts have calculated this gap in a multitude of ways but the varying calculations point to a consensus women . The us womens national soccer team has ignited a fire and jumpstarted a powerful new movement for gender pay equity worldwide fresh off earning their fourth world championship the team has