Pay equity means paying jobs usually done by women at least the same as jobs usually done by men, even if they are different jobs, as long as the jobs are of equal or comparable value. It aims to eliminate wage discrimination and close the gender pay gap by ensuring women's work is evaluated and paid in a non-discriminatory manner based on skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions rather than gender. Pay equity legislation is needed because work predominantly done by women historically pays less than comparable male-dominated work, and the gender pay gap has narrowed but not been fully eliminated since such laws were introduced.