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The gender gap in wages over the life course: Evidence from a British cohort born in 1958

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  • Heather Joshi
  • Alexander Bryson
  • David Wilkinson
  • Kelly Ward

Abstract

We trace the gender wage gap (GWG) though a mid‐life peak for a cohort born in Britain in 1958 (National Child Development Study) to quantify their life‐course experience of equal and unequal opportunities. Taking hourly pay of full‐timers and part‐timers together, an initial gap between men and women widened substantially during childrearing years. Much, but not all, of the GWG is attributable to divergent work experience, especially in mid‐life. Education‐related differences are minor. Family formation primarily affects the GWG through gender differences in work experience. Family composition is similar for male and female workers, but it attracts opposite wage premia. The GWG, however, is not only linked to family formation. There is a sizeable GWG on labor market entry and there are some otherwise unexplained gaps between the pay of men and women who had not (and did not) become parents, belying the notion that unequal wage treatment is confined to parents.

Suggested Citation

  • Heather Joshi & Alexander Bryson & David Wilkinson & Kelly Ward, 2021. "The gender gap in wages over the life course: Evidence from a British cohort born in 1958," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 397-415, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:gender:v:28:y:2021:i:1:p:397-415
    DOI: 10.1111/gwao.12580
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    1. Bozena Wielgoszewska & Alex Bryson & Monica Costa-Dias & Francesca Foliano & Heather Joshi & David Wilkinson, 2021. "Exploring the Reasons for Labour Market Gender Inequality a Year into the Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence from the UK Cohort Studies," DoQSS Working Papers 21-23, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London.

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    More about this item

    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

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