fair pay? womens rights?

Although equal rights for women and men have come a long way in the U.S. there are still aspects of this country that women do not have as fair of a chance. A major discrimination towards women that has continued is that women make 78 cents to a male colleague’s dollar. There have been many acts passed to make it closer, but it is still not equal. There are two bills that are trying to be passed within the very near future, The Paycheck Fairness Act and the Fair Pay Act. If employers do not follow the laws the penalties will be greater than before. The question of this all is, are the employers aware that they are paying the men more than the women, and is it intentional? If it is intentional, can it be justified?