Gender pay gap is not the same as pay inequality, UK companies lament
Research shows the gap grows as workers age, possibly due to the accumulation of experience, which adversely affects women who leave the workforce after childbirth
London — Britain’s recent survey of the gender pay gap found — surprise — that the system tilts overwhelmingly in favour of men. But many companies were quick to point out that a gender pay gap isn’t the same thing as pay inequality. They insist men and women in comparable roles are rewarded equally — as the law requires. The reason for the gap, they say, is due to the distribution of their workforce: there are more men in senior, higher-paid roles. While women languish in junior, lower-paid functions — or work part-time — the overall figures will tilt toward men. The handful of companies that provided numbers adjusted to account for working patterns, role mix, maternity leave and other leaves of absence show a reduced gap. So, do companies discriminate? At this point, we only have their word that they don’t. A look at data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) is suggestive. If you compare median hourly pay for full-time employees (excluding overtime) by age and occupa...
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