Restriction: Must be in a major in PLCY-School of Public Policy; or permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.

There are many factors that influence how much we provide in salary, wages, and benefits to the contributors or our market-based economy. Race, gender, and ethnicity have a long-standing history and a present-day relevance to the decisions that impact the availability of opportunity and reward to U.S. workers. But there are also factors that influence why we value certain occupations or functions over others. Finally, there is the role that the government plays in addressing past wrongs, in levelling the wage and salary playing fields, all while supporting strategies intended to encourage economic growth. These factors will be analyzed within the context of a seminar-styled exploration.