What is the difference between 'comparable pay' and equal pay'?

Question

What is the difference between 'comparable pay' and equal pay'?

Answer 1

That which is comparable may be objectively compared to another offer.

Equal is, as mentioned above, is the same.  It is good for the short-term benefit of the person receiving higher-than-fair pay.  It is bad for the company, of course.  

Equal pay is unfair to all concerned, except political types who advance such a spirit-violation of the Bill of Rights.

Example:  On a job site, we can hire a male or a female as a carpenter.  The male can carry two 2x4's at a time.  The females only carry one.  When we have to part with equal pay, knowing the female is unable to work as productively as the male, we lose.   The pay is equal; the ability is not.

Answer 2

Equal pay is EXACTLY what someone with the same job makes.  That's what I get, and it de-motivates people, because someone can skate and get the same pay as someone who does more work.

COMPARABLE pay, is roughly the same amount, but not necessarily exactly.  It might be the same hourly rate, but there is added compensation for someone who is more productive than someone else.

A third alternative is DISCRIMINATORY pay.  That might happen when the pay that a woman (or a minority) receives is nowhere near what a man doing the same job might receive.  That's the thing that has ERA (and ACLU) activists up in arms.

Answer 3

comparable pay is if you are applying for more than 1 job, the pay scale they offer you can be comparable with all company & if any two company offers you same pay is equal pay