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One Man's Blessing, Another Woman's Curse? Family Factors and the Gender-Earnings Gap of Doctors

Author

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  • Schurer, Stefanie

    (University of Sydney)

  • Kühnle, Daniel

    (University of Duisburg-Essen)

  • Scott, Anthony

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research)

  • Cheng, Terence Chai

    (University of Adelaide)

Abstract

Using data from a new longitudinal survey of doctors from Australia, the authors test whether observed large gender-pay gaps among general practitioners (GPs) are the result of women's larger willingness to interrupt their careers. On average, female GPs earn A$83,000 or 54% less than male GPs. The difference between men and women with children is A$105,000, and A$45,000 for men and women without children. Of this gap, 66-75% is explained by differences in observable characteristics such as hours worked. The family gap emerges also within the sexes. Female GPs with children experience an earnings penalty of A$15,000-A$25,000 in comparison to women without children; almost 100% of this difference is due to observable characteristics such as hours worked and career interruptions. Male GPs with children experience a family premium of A$35,000 in comparison to men without children, indicating the presence of a breadwinner effect that exacerbates the gender-earnings gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Schurer, Stefanie & Kühnle, Daniel & Scott, Anthony & Cheng, Terence Chai, 2012. "One Man's Blessing, Another Woman's Curse? Family Factors and the Gender-Earnings Gap of Doctors," IZA Discussion Papers 7017, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7017
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    1. Terence C. Cheng & Pravin K. Trivedi, 2015. "Attrition Bias in Panel Data: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing? A Case Study Based on the Mabel Survey," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(9), pages 1101-1117, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    family physicians; decomposition methods; labour force attachment; family-earnings gap; gender-earnings gap; MABEL;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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