Men and women: changing roles and social security

In the Social Security Amendments of 1977, Congress called for a study to examine ways to eliminate dependency as a factor in determining entitlement to spouse's benefits under the social security program as well as proposals to bring about the equal treatment of men and women. The report of the study undertaken in response to that change explores two options for making broad-scale changes--earnings sharing and the establishment of a double-decker benefit structure. The study was conducted by the Social Security Administration with assistance from the Department of Justice Task Force on Sex Discrimination and several other interested bodies. Public views were obtained from responses to the report of the HEW Task Force on the Treatment of Women Under Social Security and letters to the Advisory Council on Social Security. The Advisory Council is expected to make use of this report in its deliberations. The extensive excerpts that follow, which relate to the comprehensive options discussed, are taken verbatim from the summary of the report prepared by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.