Public Administration Gender Gap Wages

Public Administration

Gender Gap Wages

When economists talk about the gender gap nowadays, they usually are speaking about systematic differences in the outcomes that men and women attain in the labor market. These dissimilarities are seen in the percentages of men and women in the labor force, the kinds of professions they choose, and their relative incomes or hourly wages. The gender gap in U.S. labor force contribution has been wearing away progressively for at least 110 years. "In 1890, 15% of women in the United States aged twenty-five to forty-four (all marital statuses and races) reported an occupation outside the home. This figure increased to 30% by 1940, 47% by 1970, and 76% by 2000, when it was 93% for men in the same demographic groups" (Goldin, 2008). While the trend for women has been decidedly up, the trend for men has been slightly down. As a consequence, the gender gap in labor force contribution has greatly decreased. "In 2000, of all twenty- to sixty-four-year-olds, women made up 47% of the total labor force" (Goldin, 2008).

The wage gap is the consequence of a diversity of forms of sex discrimination in the workplace, including discrimination in hiring, promotion and pay, sexual harassment, occupational separation, partiality against mothers, and other ways in which women workers and women's work are underrated. First comes what most people think of as sex discrimination. It consists of the simple and straightforward rebuff to hire, promote, or fairly pay women who are just as competent as men. Few people comprehend that sexual harassment also comprises wage discrimination. After long and frequent sexual harassment, women leave or lose their jobs, possible raises, promotions, opportunities, emotional stability, ability to work, and sometimes their entire lives (Why Is There a Wage Gap, n.d.).

Many people believe that the wage gap exists because women choose to care for children. But in doing this should they also be choosing to be paid less for doing the same work? Too many women find themselves shunted unwillingly onto the mommy sidetrack. Frustrated women talk about how, once they came back from maternity leave, colleagues began to treat them as unreliable and un-promotable, almost willfully overlooking any evidence of productivity. Everyday, women workers suggestions are dismissed, only to be discussed seriously when made by a man. Or when employers turn to old boy networks rather than public postings to recruit new talent. Or when interviews or screening tests prize male strengths or deeper voices, even though women's strengths and communication styles could accomplish the job just as well (Why Is There a Wage Gap, n.d.).

Women still are not receiving equal pay for equal work, let alone equal pay for work of equal value. This disparity not only affects women's spending power, it penalizes their retirement security by creating gaps in Social Security and pensions. "In 2007, women's median annual pay checks reflected only 78 cents for every $1.00 earned by men. Specifically for women of color, the gap is even wider: In comparison to men's dollar, African-American women earn only 69 cents and Latinas just 59 cents" (Women Deserve Equal Pay, 2012). Women currently make approximately 80 cents for every dollar that men earn (Brunner, 2012).

Choice of occupation also plays an important role in earnings. While feminists suggest that women are forced into lower-paying job sectors, most women know that something else is often at work. Women gravitate toward jobs with fewer risks, more comfortable conditions, regular hours, more personal fulfillment and greater flexibility. Simply put, many women, but enough to have a big impact on the statistics, are willing to trade higher pay for other desirable job characteristics. Men, by contrast, often take on jobs that involve physical labor, outdoor work, overnight shifts and dangerous conditions which is also why men suffer the overwhelming majority of injuries and deaths at the workplace. They put up with these unpleasant factors so that they can earn more (Lukas, 2011).

Despite the obvious wage gap there are dome occupations that women out-earn men. One example is in that of construction jobs. Female construction workers, construction supervisors, maintenance painters, and aircraft and vehicle mechanics earn slightly above the median earnings for both sexes, in spite of only holding three percent of these jobs. Women also make more in a few female-dominated education and healthcare jobs. "Female teacher assistants earn 105% as much as male peers. Women are 92% of the field and earn a median of $474 a week, compared to men's $453. Women also earn more than men in higher paying jobs like occupational therapists, dieticians and nutritionists, and life, physical, social science and health technicians. Women also out-earned men in a few gender-balanced jobs. Although men are 48% of all dining room attendants and bartender helpers, women earn 111% more. Men in this job earn a median of $40 less than women each week, which adds up to a yearly loss of $2,000. It is thought that most of the difference here is due to women receiving bigger tips" (Goudreau, 2011).

Women comprise a very large portion of the healthcare workforce, and most medical jobs are great for women. However, there are still a few medical careers in which women are not compensated fairly, or where women haven't advanced as much as others. These careers listed below typically offer flexibility, career advancement, and fair pay in general, although of course it depends on the employer (Santiago, 2012). Technical occupations are also thought to be particularly promising for women because they are high-paying and require clear, objective qualifications (Goudreau, 2011).

In a list put out by Forbes Women the best paying jobs for women were physicians and surgeons. "These women earned a median of $1,618 per week, or about $84,000 a year, more than any other profession. Male doctors continue to earn more than female doctors, but the pay gap has narrowed each year; it's now at 29%" (Goudreau, 2011). The second best-paying job for women is pharmacist. "Female pharmacists make a median of $1,605 per week or about $83,500 annually, nearly as much as physicians and surgeons and more than chief executives, which came in at No. 3 on our list. Women comprise 48% of the pharmacy profession and earn 83% as much as male pharmacists. Meanwhile, only 26% of CEOs are women, and they earn just 72% as much as male peers" (Goudreau, 2011).

Overall three of the top 10 highest-paying jobs for women were in technology fields, which feature some of the narrowest gender pay gaps. "Female computer software engineers, who earn a median of $75,000 annually, and computer programmers comprise just 20% of their respective occupations but earn more than 90% as much as their male counterparts. Similarly, women computer and information systems managers make 82% as much as men" (Goudreau, 2011).

According to the U.S. Department of Labor the top 10 worst paying jobs for women include:

Combined food-preparation-and-serving workers -- people in these jobs are involved in getting food ready as well as serving food in fast food restaurants. The mean annual salary for women in this job is just over fifteen thousand.

Fast Food Cooks -- these people are involved in preparing food in a fast food restaurant which serves only select food items. The mean annual salary for the women working in this occupation is again just over fifteen thousand.

Dishwashers -- these people assist in cleaning dishes as well as food preparation equipment or utensils and the median annual salary for women is about fifteen and a half thousand. Women working in this occupation earn much less than most other jobs. They also infrequently get annual raises or any bonuses.

Dining Room Helpers -- these people earn a median annual salary of fifteen and a half thousand. In this job category food servers can also be incorporated who work for small restaurants and earn very little money. At times they might work as part time workers particularly some food outlets. These part time workers earn much lesser than those who are working full time.

Shampooers -- these people assist in beauty parlors by shampooing and washing hair of their customers earning a median annual salary of just over sixteen thousand.

Amusements and Recreation Attendants -- these people do an assortment of work associated with amusement or recreation facilities like the cleanliness or ticket collection and the median annual salary for women in this field is just over sixteen and a half thousand.

Cashiers -- these are people involved in collecting money from their consumers in places like malls, big shops, hotels or department stores and giving balance to the consumers. The salary is very paltry and most of the women cashiers are paid an annual median salary of just over seventeen thousand.

Bartender Helpers -- This job also comes under the collection of worst paid professionals and their median annual salary is about seventeen thousand. Their job profile includes serving and mixing drinks in bars. They also do not get ordinary increments, bonuses and allowances.

Counter Attendants- Counter Attendants are people who work in cafeteria, coffee shops or food concessions and serve food to their clientele. The job is quite exhausting particularly for women as they need to stand long hours at the counter in shops or cafeteria. They get paid typically on an hourly basis of about sixteen thousand.

Farm Laborers - Farm Laborers are also thought to be worst paid in spite of the demanding work they do. They also do not have minimum pay policy which is one of the causes of them earning so less. Those working the farm typically earn about $9 per hour. They are involved in sowing the seeds, cultivating as well as harvesting vegetables, fruits, nuts or other crops. They mean annual salary amounts to about seventeen thousand (Croft, 2010).

There are certain occupations that are measured masculine by some people and women are not expectant to enter these fields. Still, women have administered to not only enter but do extremely well at careers dominated by men. They have demonstrated that women can do well at jobs that persist to be considered better matched for their male counterparts. Police work has traditionally been a man's job. Nonetheless, in 2008, Cathy Lanier became the first female police chief for Washington, D.C. She accomplished this in spite of being a high school dropout and becoming pregnant in the ninth grade. She joined the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department at the age of 23 with a passion for taking advantage of its tuition reimbursement program. Slowly, over time, Lanier worked her way up to the top (John, 2012).

The sport of car racing and the Indy Car circuit has been the area of men for generations. Some women have tried to break through but only one has managed to win an Indy Car race, Danica Patrick, in 2008. She also holds the record for the highest position attained by a woman in a car race. Patrick grew up with a father who loved car racing and she raced with her sister as a child. She entered the sport at the age of sixteen when she dropped out of high school and moved to England to race. "Since those days she has worked hard at improving in the sport, moving up the rankings and being named Rookie of the Year twice "(John, 2012).

Even though women have been a part of the American armed forces for a long time, it took Ann Dunwoody to make contemporary military history. In November 2008, she became the first female four-star general in the United States Armed Forces. Dunwoody comes from a family that has served in the military for many generations. "As far back as the 1700s, her family members have fought in the Revolutionary War, the Mexican War, Korean War and others. Prior to becoming a four-star general, Dunwoody also had other accomplishments including being the first female battalion commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and the first female deputy commander of the Army Materiel Command" (John, 2012).

Although women have traditionally cooked for their families, professional chefs are frequently male. And in the White House, the chief chef was always a man until Cristeta Comerford became the top chef for President George W. Bush and his family in 2005. "Previously, she served in the White House kitchen under the Clinton administration's head chef. In 10 years, Comerford went from being a kitchen staff member to being the head of the White House kitchen" (John, 2012).

The past two decades has seen a lot of controversy regarding women's rights and feminism within the military, especially in times of war. However, time has proven that women are just as capable in holding important and vital positions as their male counterparts, both in and out of combat specialties. However, the Marine Corps are an equal opportunity employer. Not only does the Marine Corps demand and require the same output from female Marines as they do from male Marines, they also share the same pay scales and opportunities in regard to most military occupational specialties (Marine Corps Opportunities for Women, 2007).

While the military has yet to allow women everywhere their male counterparts are allowed to go, women have come a long way since they disguised themselves as men to fight right alongside them in the Civil War, or served as front-line nurses or stretcher bearers in the Great War, as well as filled hundreds of male positions during World War Two. Since Korea and Vietnam, and the conflicts in the recent past, women have made steady process entering formerly male dominated careers and specialties. Women are encouraged to enter technical and weapons fields as much as they used to be encouraged to enter office or administrative jobs (Marine Corps Opportunities for Women, 2007).

It's not just the choice of major that determines how much college students will earn once they graduate. Research also shows disparities based on gender and race. Much of that wage gap can be explained by the types of careers the different women go into as well as other demographic considerations, like education, age and experience. Even after controlling for those factors, though, an unexplained gap still exists across nearly every job category. The gap is particularly large in the highest-paying professions. PayScale, a company that collects salary data, has analyzed its database of millions of employee profiles to see how that gender pay gap varies by college major (Rampell, 2012).

On the other side of the coin, it often appears that the more education a woman has, the greater the disparity in her wages. This certainly doesn't mean women should shy away from professional positions, but they should be aware that they may have to battle harder for equal pay. "Women in professional specialty occupations were found to earn just 72.7% of what men in the same position earned, and women in upper level executive, administrative and managerial occupations earned even less at 72.3%. If you compare this against the average of 77.5%, the numbers speak for themselves" (10 Surprising Statistics on Women in the Workplace, 2011).

Minority women fare the worst when it comes to equal pay. African-American women earn just 69 cents to every dollar earned by white men, and for Hispanic women that figure drops to merely 59 cents per dollar. Asian women are the exception, earning 90 cents for every dollar earned by white men -- a sum higher than women of all other races/ethnicities as well as African-American and Hispanic men (10 Surprising Statistics on Women in the Workplace, 2011).

Minority women have the biggest earning gap in the nation, with Latina women who work full-time earning 63% less than white men. The disparity affects African-American and Asian women too, according to the study by a Washington-area women's foundation. African-American women earning 45% less while Asian women make 41% less (Minority women have biggest pay gap, 2011). "Wages gaps also exist within minority men and women. For instance, in 1999, white women made an average of $30,900 compared with white men, who made on average $44,200. African-American women, again, on average, made $26,600 versus $33,100 earned by African-American men" (Sullivan, 2004).

Women have identified the issues that accompany rising up the corporate ladder and fighting for raises and promotions since it became culturally acceptable for them to hold white-collar positions. Some have found the solution is to redefine success while others have chosen to leave the corporate world in favor of starting their own businesses. But for those women with aspirations to have a successful career in corporate America, something has to be done to decrease the gap. The solutions are all around us but need to be put into practice in order to be effective (Peterson, 2010).

Some of the more obvious solutions include:

1. Ending salary secrecy - according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), about half of all employees are either forbidden or strongly discouraged from talking about how much they make with their co-workers. And it's pretty hard to sue an employer for pay discrimination without first knowing what everyone else is making. The idea is to force all employers, public and private, to let everyone talk freely about how much they make. Americans should rapidly get over their uneasiness about talking money, and employers shouldn't care if their lower paid employees start working towards six-figure salaries.

2. Raising the minimum wage - according to the National Women's Law Center, about two-thirds of all employees making the minimum wage are women, and they're also about two-thirds of those in tipped jobs that frequently pay a base rate far below that. "Making the federal floor of $7.25 an hour nets a woman just $14,500 working full-time for a year, which adds up to more than $3,000 less than the poverty line for a family of three. Raising that wage could mean a raise for 28 million workers" (Covert, 2012).