Men still earn 12.7 percent more than women. The gap (gender pay gap) is declining, says Heike Lehner from the liberal think tank Agenda Austria. In 2004 the gap was still 22.5 percent. Full-time jobs were compared.
Agenda Austria has analyzed the reasons for the different pay. Women tend to be more employed in sectors that are poorly paid. This applies in particular to health and social professions: three quarters of all employees are female, says Lehner.
Men tend to work in large companies
It is noticeable that men work above average in large companies with more than 50 employees, women are more likely to be found in smaller companies. “But large companies pay more on average,” says Lehner. Large companies also include industrial companies, which usually have better collective agreements and pay above-average rates. What the economist also sees: When it comes to bonus payments, women usually get out worse. The baby break also brings a drop in salary. “If you limit the maternity leave to one year per partner, you can break with old role models,” says Lehner. To do this, the childcare facilities would have to be improved.
Source: Nachrichten
