That women risk their careers when they have children is unfortunately known by now. What, however, may not be known is that, on the other hand, men who become fathers tend to earn more, have careers, and are rewarded. called “Paternity Bonus” and this is another paradox that exacerbates gender pay gap. This is evidenced by a new US study based on Pew Research Center census data.
According to Pew the gender gap is strongly influenced by the presence of children: The more likely a woman is to have a child at home under the age of 18, the larger the pay gap will be. So women aged 25 to 34 in 2010 earned 92 cents for every dollar earned by men, in 2022 the same women who became mothers switched to earning 84 cents on the dollar. When a child is born, care work increases dramatically, and often cultural stereotypes (but also the need to breastfeed, no parental leave, and a pre-existing gender gap) encourage women to sacrifice at least part of their careers in favor of their careers. companions who may earn more than they do.
In 2022, among parents aged 35-44, 94% of fathers were active in the labor force compared to 75% of mothers, a gap of 19 percentage points, according to the study. For childless men and women in the same age group, the gap was 6 percentage points. However, according to Pew, paternity benefits have an even greater impact on widening the pay gap during fatherhood compared to the reduction in mothers’ wages. Fathers between the ages of 25 and 54 earn not only more than mothers of the same age, but also more than childless men. “Employers recognize the needs of the family and compensate for them through one channel, not another,” said Rakesh Kochhar, author of the study. Thus, the same stereotype continues to feed that women at home take care of the family, while men are focused on work. A scheme that ultimately leads to the punishment of the entire society.
Source: Elle