More from Feckless on how the wage gap for women translates into a mother gap, in other words that women tend to do the lion share of unpaid child rearing. His post is heavy on references, little on his own analysis. The studies he quotes are fascinating, and I can only give his brief analysis.
What is going on is crystal clear and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand this. As long as women are the ones doing most childcare, this won't change. I assume empowering fathers will do more to the wage gap as every other legislation passed is trying to do. I wonder when then legislators will understand, but it seems to me this isn't going to be anytime soon.
When I was working, I could of easily made equal if not more then my husband. On paper we were equal, but then you have to subtract the cost of daycare, and other expenses related to work (wardrobe, gas, licensing fees, and upgrades on computer/phone). In the end bringing home much less, even though according to these studies I was equal in pay.
ReplyDeleteSome fields like nursing allows women to have flexible schedules, such as working three twelve hour shifts from week to week. A decade ago when I worked for a mutual fund company, many women worked 6pm-10pm (like myself) handling customer service which relied on an education. We were paid well, even with benefits for working a mere 20 hours a week which on a resume could transition into a full time job. But that was the tech boom, and soon we were all laid off.
I have to search for it, but I remember a news report that for every child you have it is only worth going back to work if you make at least 30k. That article was some time ago, and it depends on where you live in the country also.
Should also not that the President has talks about work place flexibility, as not just a women's issue.
ReplyDeleteWork Place Flexibility 2010
The main reason women in general (not just college educated) don't make as much as men is based on what they choose to do. Whenever I see men out working fixing telephone lines or pouring concrete, etc, I point out to my son that there are no women working there. Why? Well that right there is real work. No fun, no prestige, no air conditioning, no ambience, no cache. Just work. Well heck, yeah women would rather stay home and take care of their own kids if the only jobs they are qualified for range from picking lettuce and maid service all the way up to working retail. Men, on average, take less sick time than even single women with no kids. The fact is there will always be lots of undesirable and dangerous jobs that absolutely have to be done from meat packing to electrical contracting, and the pay is based on getting someone to do it.
ReplyDeleteHere are two great articles on women/men working.
http://blog.american.com/?p=12653
http://blog.american.com/?p=13019
silly girl, you're right consider the differing types of worker compensation cases, where women are injured?
ReplyDeleteFrom a study in regards to occupational health...
"Results: The overall injury/illness rate was significantly lower in females than males (5.5 vs. 11.5 per 100 employees), a trend that extended to all major industrial classes with the exception of service and agricultural sectors. The distribution of types of injury/illness varied by gender, occupation, and industry with significantly higher risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, burn, sprain, and fracture in females compared to males."
Sears, a major company recorded a "pay disparity" betwen men and women working there. It turned out more men sold large appliances (TV's, stoves, refrigirators, rider mowers,) & worked on commision. While most woman worked the consmentic counter, or jewelrey section, or clothing...no commision.
ReplyDeleteNOW tried to find a woman who would sue...even in this litigious culture they could not find anyone to file suit because woman who wanted to work on commision could, but most just wanted the steady paycheck and did not ffel like hocking table saws and deep freezes.