Carolyn L. Wheeler, Of Counsel at Katz Banks Kumin, recently published an article in the Saint Louis University Public Law Review entitled “Women’s Work Is Never Done.” The article traces the evolution and introduction of three major pieces of legislation addressing discrimination against women in the workplace—the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. The article discusses the different forces and rationales supporting each enactment and explains what consequences those differences had on subsequent enforcement of the statutes by the administrative agencies and courts, and the on-going process of amendments to make the statutes more effective.

Each of these statutes reflects some of the earlier debates in the 19th century about women’s roles and rights to equal treatment under the law, and there has been an ongoing process of revision, changing interpretations, and amendments as those debates continue. The title of the article is intended to capture the notion that the work of feminists seeking reform of the laws affecting women’s workplace opportunities is not “done” and that the strategies for successfully addressing some of the unique issues that arise for women who combine career and family responsibilities are continually evolving.