Solving the gender pay gap requires more than just increasing women's pay
Naming and shaming big businesses is one way to respond to new pay gap data. But top economists say government shouldn't be off the hook.
Some of Australia’s biggest employers will be grappling with tough questions today, following the release of gender pay gap data for 5000 businesses from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
It shows about 30% of Australian private sector businesses with 100 or more staff have a negligible gender pay gap. But 62% have median pay gaps larger than 5% in favour of men, while a further 8% have gaps that favour women.
This doesn’t suggest employers pay women less than men for the same work (which is against the law) and it is adjusted to offset the impact of more women in casual and part-time roles.
The gender pay gap has been an enduring challenge and isn't a surprise. And while today’s revelations of which firms are the best and worst at shrinking the gap themselves will generate headlines, even economists specialising in equality, gender and productivity say it would be a mistake to lump the responsibility on their shoulders alone.
