Since 1979, the wage gap between women and men has narrowed significantly, falling by more than 10 percent overall. The closing of the wage gap has slowed considerably in the 1990's, however, with women's real wages (adjusted for inflation) stagnating in recent year and men's wages continuing to decline. The lack of growth in both women's and men's wages in the 1990's is especially striking, given that the economy is now enjoying the longest period of sustained growth since the end of World War II. The gap between women's and men's earnings was smallest in 1993 and grew thereafter. When the gap has been closing, about 41 percent is due to an increase in women's wages, whereas 59 percent is due to the fall in men's wages. In the latest years, almost all of any reported gap closing is due to declines in men's wages. Much of the growth of women's wages was fueled by the movement of women into higher-paying occupations; however, that trend may have come to an end. Stronger enforcement of the Equal Employment Opportunity laws and pay equity or comparable worth increases in women-dominated occupations would help to close the wage gap between women and men. (KC)