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Do Gender Disparities Exist Despite a Negative Gender Earnings Gap?

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  • José Caraballo
  • Eileen Segarra

Abstract

In 2009, for the first time, Puerto Rico’s unconditional median earnings gender gap presented a statistically significant negative sign. We document the elements that lead to an overall improvement in women’s economic position and find that the unconditional earnings gap turns positive once observable characteristics are considered. For instance, we find that the negative gender gap disappears when we adjust for educational attainments as a new indicator of gender gaps. In general, relative differences in returns on education and a glass ceiling effect moderated by dependent children are two of the explanatory factors allowing for the continuation of gender disparities within groups. There is also a direct association between women’s representation in a given occupation/education group and the gender earnings gap.

Suggested Citation

  • José Caraballo & Eileen Segarra, 2019. "Do Gender Disparities Exist Despite a Negative Gender Earnings Gap?," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Spring 20), pages 101-125, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000425:017278
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hugo Ñopo, 2008. "Matching as a Tool to Decompose Wage Gaps," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(2), pages 290-299, May.
    2. Nikolay Angelov & Per Johansson & Erica Lindahl, 2016. "Parenthood and the Gender Gap in Pay," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(3), pages 545-579.
    3. Robert A. Moffitt, 2004. "Introduction to the Symposium on the Econometrics of Matching," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(1), pages 1-3, February.
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    6. Alan S. Blinder, 1973. "Wage Discrimination: Reduced Form and Structural Estimates," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 8(4), pages 436-455.
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    Cited by:

    1. Melanie Jones & Ezgi Kaya, 2022. "The gender pay gap: what can we learn from Northern Ireland? [Women’s labour market participation in Northern Ireland: a re-examination of the ‘traditionalism’ argument]," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 74(1), pages 94-114.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender pay gap; underrepresented; maternal wall; return to education; discrimination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J08 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics Policies

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