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The Gender Earnings Gap in Britain

Author

Listed:
  • Mumford, Karen A.

    (University of York)

  • Smith, Peter N.

    (University of York)

Abstract

The earnings gap between male and female employees is substantial and persistent. Using new data for Britain, this paper shows that an important contribution to this gap is made by the workplace in which the employee works. Evidence for workplace and occupational segregation as partial explanations of the earnings gap is presented. Having allowed also for individual worker characteristics there remains a substantial within-workplace and withinoccupation gender earnings gap. The contribution of these factors, as well as the earnings gap itself, differ significantly across sectors of the labour market. The relative unimportance of occupational segregation and the large remaining gender earnings gap suggest that stronger enforcement of Equal Pay legislation is likely to be the most appropriate policy response.

Suggested Citation

  • Mumford, Karen A. & Smith, Peter N., 2004. "The Gender Earnings Gap in Britain," IZA Discussion Papers 1109, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1109
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fixed-effects; wage-gap; gender earnings; segregation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • J7 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

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