Why are women underpaid

For example, increased educational attainment by women—particularly when women have more education than men—can help narrow the gap. It is important to note that many of these factors can be directly and indirectly influenced by discrimination based on gender and race or ethnicity. For example, societal and structural sexism often influences the jobs that women work in, and those same forces mean that women most often take on the majority of the caregiving, housework, and other unpaid responsibilities that men do not.

So while experts have attributed the estimated 38 percent 16 of the wage gap that is not explained by traditional measurable factors—such as hours worked and years of experience—to the effects of discrimination, it must be understood that discrimination likely affects more than just 38 percent of the wage gap. The most frequent way of discussing the wage gap, in terms of dollars and cents, may unintentionally obscure the real impact on working women and their families.

An even larger consideration is the cumulative impact of the gender wage gap on all women working full time in the United States. The gender wage gap is not only complex and nuanced, but it is also stubborn. Without updated and comprehensive equal pay reform, the gender wage gap has only closed by 4 cents in more than a decade. At the current pace, women are not estimated to reach pay parity with men until To begin to close the gender wage gap, women need updated comprehensive equal pay legislation, such as the Paycheck Fairness Act, 23 that will strengthen existing protections and further combat discriminatory practices.

Other robust work-family policies are also essential to truly combating the multifaceted gender wage gap so that women—who disproportionately assume much of the caregiving responsibilities in their families—are not unfairly disadvantaged by taking time to address care needs. For example, access to paid sick days and a comprehensive paid family and medical leave program are just two of the essential policies that would help minimize job loss and ensure better economic security for all workers.

Only by enacting essential policies and shifting cultural attitudes can the United States begin to dismantle the patriarchal structures that systematically disadvantage and shortchange women and their families. Efforts to close the wage gap must address the varying drivers of it as well as the multitude of biases that hold women—particularly women of color, LGBTQ women, and women with other diverse identities—and their families back.

This is an issue of economic security and equality—and women and their families cannot afford to wait for either. Kate Bahn , Christian E. Colin Seeberger Director, Media Relations. Cookie Notice This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. I Accept Privacy Policy. Systemic Racism and The Gender Pay Gap The history of the gender and racial wage gaps is inextricably linked to the history of labor in America.

The Pay Gap Through the Years. Race and the Pay Gap The gender pay gap is the result of many factors, including race and ethnicity, disability, access to education and age.

Latinas and the Pay Gap. Black Women and the Pay Gap. Older Women and the Pay Gap. Employer practices — such as using prior salary history in setting current pay and prohibiting employees from discussing their wages — compound the problem. Where you live and what you do can also impact your personal pay gap. Policy Center. Know Your Rights. Two-Minute Activist. Opening up traditionally male sectors and occupations to flexible working would encourage more women to work in them, and more men to switch to working part-time.

And building flexible progression into these roles would allow part-timers to develop their careers in a more equitable way. There is real confusion about the difference between the equal pay issue and the gender pay gap. As we have explained previously , the gender pay gap is based on the difference between the average hourly pay rate for men and the average hourly pay rate for women, largely due to the reasons cited above.

In contrast, the equal pay issue is one of discrimination: paying men and women different amounts for doing the same job. And we at Timewise know better than most that flexible job design is the key to bringing about change. To find out about our training and consultancy services that could help you tackle your gender pay gap, please call or email info timewise.

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Find Out More. The real reasons behind the gender pay gap. Reason 1: There are more men in senior roles than women It is certainly true that there are more senior men than women in the workplace as a whole, and as senior people tend to be paid more than junior people, this has a negative effect on the gender pay gap.

Solution: Design senior roles to work for all In the 21 st century, this pattern of working is no longer fit for purpose.