Why women still earn less than men: It’s the kids’ fault (Post article) (maternity leave, 2013)
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Interesting Post article about why women earn less than guys.
I think most of that inequity exists because of the old school guard who has yet to retire. Most women today earn just as much as their male counterparts doing the same job. For every company I've ever worked for, a woman with the same years of experience makes the same. And I work in engineering. Though there probably are a few jobs (sales) where that is more prevalent.
Also, who's fault is it that women don't go into Aerospace Engineering?
A lot of women also have and prefer the option of marrying a man who can support them, which evens things out ...
I think part of is something I heard in school during a business communication course. My professor was asked why women aren't paid as high and she believes it goes back to women not willing to fight for what the wage is. Say they get low-balled, a woman may take that and not counter offer a higher wage to bring the negotiated agreement higher.
I think part of is something I heard in school during a business communication course. My professor was asked why women aren't paid as high and she believes it goes back to women not willing to fight for what the wage is. Say they get low-balled, a woman may take that and not counter offer a higher wage to bring the negotiated agreement higher.
I've discussed this with friends from one of my 'women in engineering' networking groups before -- in our experience, women are less likely to approach their boss and ask for a raise, and can fall short when it comes to tooting their own horn at annual review time. They're also less likely to try and negotiate starting salary, sign-on bonus, etc.
Women are pressured to do a lot of things and be a lot of things in our society - but being a breadwinner is not one of them (unless they're single mothers, of course).
Generally speaking, men are the ones who are pressured into earning big bucks. Why? Well largely because that's what women find attractive in a mate. So while women face certain pressures unique to them, such as the pressure to always appear young and attractive, or the pressure to not be unpleasant lest they be labeled a "b*tch", men face the pressure of having to bring home the big money, because if you don't, all of a sudden you're not a very attractive potential mate in the eyes of most women.
And even if women are not drawn to a man's money per se, they're at least drawn to the things that money can buy - if not actual things, such as nice homes, nice cars, etc., then at least certain exciting experiences that aren't really possible without a substantial amount of money (traveling overseas, for example). Women have the luxury of being able to take a job that they love but doesn't pay well because they can always just marry some rich dude.
I used to work at a non-profit and this described at least half the women there. Women who could afford to take jobs doing what they love, but for crappy pay (maybe $40,000 a year) because their husbands were doctors or lawyers. It could never work the other way around because women often perceive men who don't make money as lacking ambition, or even worse, just flat out lazy. Men don't equate low-earning women with laziness or lack of ambition, and even if we did, we wouldn't care because frankly we usually prioritize other things in a woman (such as physical appearance).
So,there widely exists a mind-set that women don't have to make much money because they may marry rich men. But how about the women who are financially independent of their husbands? I bet they could live a better life!
I think part of is something I heard in school during a business communication course. My professor was asked why women aren't paid as high and she believes it goes back to women not willing to fight for what the wage is. Say they get low-balled, a woman may take that and not counter offer a higher wage to bring the negotiated agreement higher.
This is very true. Women, on average, do not negotiate for higher salaries nearly as much as men. Also, women do not approach their boss and ask for raises as often as men. I know (as a man) I have asked for a raise or promotion beyond cost of living every two years of my career. Sometimes the answer is no, but I will never get anything if I don't ask. A study was done a few years ago that showed women to be much less likely to negotiate for a higher salary or ask for a raise. Let's say both a woman and a man are offered $50,000 for a job and the man negotiates it to $60,000. Even if they both perform the same, the man will always make more money. If they each get a 10% raise for the same high performance, the gap will continue to grow. Raises are given in terms of % growth, so whatever it negotiated at the start makes a big difference in the long term.
In this study, it was found that only 7% of female MBA graduates attempted to negotiate a higher salary when offered a job compared to 57% of men.
This is very true. Women, on average, do not negotiate for higher salaries nearly as much as men. Also, women do not approach their boss and ask for raises as often as men. I know (as a man) I have asked for a raise or promotion beyond cost of living every two years of my career. Sometimes the answer is no, but I will never get anything if I don't ask. A study was done a few years ago that showed women to be much less likely to negotiate for a higher salary or ask for a raise. Let's say both a woman and a man are offered $50,000 for a job and the man negotiates it to $60,000. Even if they both perform the same, the man will always make more money. If they each get a 10% raise for the same high performance, the gap will continue to grow. Raises are given in terms of % growth, so whatever it negotiated at the start makes a big difference in the long term.
In this study, it was found that only 7% of female MBA graduates attempted to negotiate a higher salary when offered a job compared to 57% of men.
MBA graduates are not representative of the general population.
If I had a husband that made enough to support me, I would not work. It really is ridiculous to expect me to work continuously while being pregnant (which I have done, and it is not fun), then to only get maternity leave paid for what I have already saved up in PTO (5 weeks) then come back immediately to work and just be able to hand my 5 week old baby off to some stranger to raise for almost 60 hours a week while I am at work and driving back and forth. I have no idea why America thinks that this is ok and acceptable. I mean, look at the kids we have now! I work in a correctional facility and I would have to say that MOST of the kids here, their problems stem from parenting issues at least 50/50. They do make their own choices, but with little emphasis on good parenting in our nation, can you really blame their parents? Struggling to work and have children at the same time is much much harder than I imagined it would be :/
Oh and FMLA is a joke. Who can actually afford to take off those 12 weeks of unpaid leave?!?!/ REALLY?! Everyone here is asking me if I am taking 12 weeks off and I'm like uh I can barely afford to live on the paycheck I do get and I am supposed to live off the pay check I don't get? Ha.
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