Why less pay?

[Amie]

FORTUNE
Why women get paid less
By Anne Fisher, Fortune senior writer


(Fortune) -- Dear Annie: My sister, who is in her late 30s (as am I), is a super-successful salesperson, one of only two women on an 18-person sales staff. She recently found out that she and her sole female colleague make about 20% less than the men, even though both women are highly productive "stars." I think she owes it to herself to talk to her boss about this, but she says she's satisfied with her current pay and doesn't want to "rock the boat." Should I butt out and mind my own business? What do you think? - Just Cathy

Dear Cathy: I think that women's unwillingness to "rock the boat" is a big reason why, according to the Economic Policy Institute, the wage gap between college-educated women and their male counterparts has actually gotten bigger since the mid-'90s. A decade ago, women earned 75.7 cents for each dollar paid to a man. Now it's 74.7 cents.

"Talk to your sister and help her try to figure out why she puts up with this," suggests Barbara Stanny (www.barbarastanny.com), a writer and speaker based in Port Townsend, Wash., who specializes in women's pay issues. "Women often get paid less because we allow it. Why doesn't she value herself enough to mind that she's making less money than her peers?"

Click here to read the rest of the article (http://jobs.aol.com/article/_a/why-women-get-paid-less/20070323150109990001?ncid=AOLCOMMjobsDYNLprim0001)

[Amie]

My husband works for Federal Express and he says that he honestly doesn't know any women who are paid less. He did however, not get a job because he's a man :).

I'm not suggesting that this is not a reality, I'm just wondering where it is? What are y'all's experiences out there?

[jlv]

Dear Cathy: I think that women's unwillingness to "rock the boat" is a big reason why, according to the Economic Policy Institute, the wage gap between college-educated women and their male counterparts has actually gotten bigger since the mid-'90s. A decade ago, women earned 75.7 cents for each dollar paid to a man. Now it's 74.7 cents.

The primary reason for the disparity is the difference between choice of degrees, choice of careers, and child-rearing. My eldest daughter did a master's thesis on the topic.

Women are over-represented in degree programs for fields that have relatively low pay. About 10% of engineering and physics students are women. In math, where women account for 50%, women are several times more likely to go into high-school teaching. Men are more likely to go into industry or college teaching. Since engineers and such tend to be paid about than twice average wages, this factor really impacts wages.

Married women conscously choose career fields that require very little specialization. In some fields, a person can have 20 years experience. In others, it's better described as 1 year of experience 20 times. This causes a similar factor in wage impact.

When a married couple owns a business, for tax reasons, it is typically reported as his income. Another big factor.

My daughter found that single women on average earned a little more than single men. Single women are often married to their jobs. More time put in, more money earned. Married women are rarely married to their jobs and are several times more likely to seek part-time employment. Less time on the job, less money. Another big factor.

All these factors are lumped into that 75 cents for every dollar figure. Cases like Cathy's sister above are rare. Especially since most sales positions are partly or fully comission.

JL

[Paige]

That makes a lot of sense, JL. I know the female police officers are paid the same as the male ones here. It has nothing to do with gender, and everything to do with years put in service.

I know that the times I had to enter the work force over the years, I specifically looked for jobs I would not have to be married to. My full-time job was taking care of home and family, anything else was just considered a second job to bring in some extra $$ when we needed it. (I know there are many women out there in the same situation.)

Paige

(I do plan on re-entering the work force in about 5 or 6 years, when our youngest is all done with high school. At that time, I'll consider more serious employment.)

[Amie]

Makes sense to me too. I wonder though if high school teachers would be paid more ie, if more men chose that direction. I'm not interested in making a case for victimization, I'm interested in understanding the facts.

Thanks JL for the info.

Amie