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Herzberg-Druker, Efrat (2025): Couples' division of paid work and rising income inequality: A study of 21 OECD countries. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 99. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101084

Abstract

"Numerous scholars have explored the association between women's changing employment patterns and the changing income inequality in recent decades. While most studies indicate that increased women's employment reduces household inequality, a few suggest the opposite effect. This research investigated whether shifts in the division of paid work (i.e., changes in the working hours) among heterosexual couples, as compared to changes in women's work alone, contribute to changes in income inequality. It also examined whether the selection of couples into the different types of division of paid work based on their level of education is a mechanism underlying the growing inequality. Based on counterfactual analyses of data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), encompassing 21 OECD countries, the findings demonstrate shifts in couples' division of paid work, particularly the increase in fulltime dual-earner households, are associated with rising income inequality in most countries studied. However, changes in educational attainment were not found to be the mechanism underlying the association between changes in couples' division of paid work and changes in income inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))

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Hohendanner, Christian, Markus Janser & Florian Lehmer (2025): Strukturwandel am Arbeitsmarkt durch die ökologische Transformation - Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Expertise für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung. Berlin, 94 S.

Abstract

"Die vorliegende Expertise untersucht erstmals quantitativ die strukturellen Veränderungen des Arbeitsmarktes in Deutschland im Hinblick auf geschlechtsbezogene Aspekte, die im Zuge der ökologischen Transformation entstehen. Wir verwenden hierfür einen Tasks-basierten Ansatz zur Identifikation der betroffenen Akteur*innen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Dazu werden der Greenness-of-Jobs Index (GOJI) (Janser 2019, 2024), das IAB-Berufepanel (Version 2012-2022, inkl. GOJI) sowie deskriptive Statistiken auf Basis des IAB-Betriebspanels herangezogen. Das IAB-Berufepanel wie die Auswertungen des IAB-Betriebspanels sind auf der Homepage des IAB öffentlich zugänglich und können für weitere Analysen genutzt werden. Zusätzlich werden Maßnahmen diskutiert, die helfen könnten, mögliche Ungleichheiten in der ökologischen Transformation abzufedern und zu überwinden. Ziel der Expertise ist es, den Sachverständigen für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht eine fundierte empirische Grundlage zu den Veränderungen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt und deren potenziellen Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse durch die ökologische Transformation zu liefern. Die Expertise zeigt auf, inwiefern Frauen und Männer gleichermaßen oder unterschiedlich von den Entwicklungen des Arbeitsmarktes profitieren bzw. betroffen sind. Es wird dargestellt, in welchen Branchen und Berufen sich Tätigkeitsfelder verändert haben und neue Beschäftigungsverhältnisse entstanden bzw. weggefallen sind – jeweils mit besonderem Fokus auf die Unterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern. Vor dem Hintergrund aller zusammengetragenen Erkenntnisse wird abschließend diskutiert, inwiefern die bisherigen Ergebnisse darauf hindeuten, dass sich geschlechtsbezogene Unterschiede bzw. Ungleichheiten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt in der ökologischen Transformation eher angleichen oder weiter auseinanderentwickeln." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

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Hook, Jennifer L. & Meiying Li (2025): National Work-Family Policies and Gender Earnings Inequality in 26 OECD Countries, 1999 to 2019. In: Socius, Jg. 11, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1177/23780231251360042

Abstract

"The authors investigate whether work-family policies help incorporate women into the labor market, but exacerbate the gender earnings gap and motherhood penalty, especially for mothers and/or tertiary-educated women. The authors use repeated cross-sectional income data from the Luxembourg Income Study database (1999–2019) (n = 26 countries, 280 country-years, 2.9 million employees) combined with an original collection of indicators on work-family policies, labor market conditions, and gender norms. The authors find that only one work-family policy, long paid parental leave (longer than six months), is associated with a larger gender earnings gap for mothers and tertiary-educated women. The negative relationship between long paid leave and women’s earning percentile is not well explained by selection, full-time status, work hours, experience, occupation, or sector, suggesting discrimination mechanisms. These findings add to the growing evidence that long paid leave specifically, as opposed to work-family policies more generally, cleaves the labor market outcomes of women from men." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Huebener, Mathias, Jonas Jessen, Daniel Kühnle & Michael Oberfichtner (2025): Parental Leave, Worker Substitutability, and Firms' Employment. In: The Economic Journal, Jg. 135, H. 669, S. 1467-1495., 2024-12-06. DOI:10.1093/ej/ueae114

Abstract

"Motherhood and parental leave are frequent causes of worker absences and employment interruptions, yet little is known about their effects on firms. Based on linked employer-employee data from Germany, we examine how parental leave absences affect small-and medium-sized firms. We show that they anticipate the absence with replacement hirings in the six months before childbirth. A 2007 parental leave reform extending leave absences reduces firm-level employment and total wages up to three years after childbirth, driven by firms with few internal substitutes for the absent mother. However, we do not find longer-term effects on firms’ employment, wage bill, or likelihood to shut down. The reform led to an increase in replacement hirings, but firms did not respond to longer expected absences of mothers by subsequently hiring fewer young women. Overall, our findings show that anticipated, extended parental leave does not have a lasting impact on firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Oxford University Press) ((en))

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Illing, Hannah & Benjamin Baisch (2025): Frauen sind schlechter über das Gehalt ihrer Kolleg*innen informiert als Männer. In: IAB-Forum H. 05.11.2025. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20251105.01

Abstract

"Seit 2017 existiert in Deutschland das sogenannte Entgelttransparenzgesetz, das Lohnunterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen mit gleichwertiger Arbeit in derselben Firma reduzieren soll. Das Gesetz hat die Lohnlücke bisher jedoch nicht verringert. Ein Problem: Frauen sind schlechter als Männer über die Gehälter ihrer Kolleg*innen informiert und tauschen sich zudem seltener mit diesen darüber aus." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Jochmann-Döll, Andrea (2025): Entgeltgleichheit gemeinsam herstellen: Notwendig und machbar! Handlungshinweise und Erfahrungen aus der Praxis eines Unternehmens. (Working paper Forschungsförderung / Hans Böckler Stiftung 378), Düsseldorf, 46 S.

Abstract

"Wie kann geprüft werden, ob gleiche oder gleichwertige Arbeit gleich bezahlt wird und die Entgeltgleichheit der Geschlechter verwirklicht ist? Diese Frage stellt sich in vielen Unternehmen, angestoßen durch den Wandel der Geschlechterverhältnisse, die Veränderung von Tätigkeiten im Zuge der digitalen Transformation und neue rechtliche Grundlagen der Entgeltgleichheit durch die Entgelttransparenzrichtlinie der EU. In diesem Papier wird am praktischen Beispiel eines Unternehmens gezeigt, wie das Instrumentarium eg-check.de hierfür eingesetzt wurde. Sein Ablauf, die angewendeten Methoden und die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse werden beschrieben, der Bezug zur Entgelttransparenzrichtlinie wird hergestellt." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Kantova, Klara & Michaela Hasikova (2025): Do Pay Transparency Laws Reduce the Gender Wage Gap? Insights from a Meta-Analysis. (IEW working paper / Institut Ekonomických Studií (Prag) 2025/22), Praha, 37 S.

Abstract

"Pay transparency laws are a key policy response to persistent gender wage disparities, yet evidence on their effectiveness is mixed. This meta-analysis synthesizes 268 estimates from 12 studies. Across a broad suite of publication bias diagnostics, we find at most weak evidence of selective reporting, while most approaches indicate a small but significant positive effect beyond bias. The pooled mean effect is 0.012 log points, corresponding to an average 1.2% increase in women´s wages relative to men, consistent with a modest narrowing of the gap. Heterogeneity analysis using Bayesian and frequentist model averaging shows that policy design is pivotal. Public disclosure regimes produce larger reductions than internal access or job-ad disclosure, while evidence for pay-secrecy bans is imprecise. Specification choices also matter, with regional and employee controls attenuating effects and sector controls amplifying them. Overall, effective transparency depends on both robust policy design and careful empirical specification." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kałamucka, Agata, Anna Matysiak & Beata Osiewalska (2025): Working-time flexibility among European couples. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2535735

Abstract

"This study examines patterns of working-time flexibility among European heterosexual couples, focusing on both employee – and employer-oriented flexibilities. Using 2019 EU LFS and multinomial logit models, we analyse how these flexibilities are distributed between partners, considering education and parenthood status. The findings highlight the critical role of working-time flexibility in shaping labor force participation and reveal stark differences across socioeconomic and family contexts. Among the tertiary-educated strata, there is a high prevalence of dual-earner couples in which both partners work with employee-oriented flexibility, which remains consistently high even when there are children at home. This pattern is, however, much more common in Western Europe than in Southern and Central Eastern Europe. In contrast, below tertiary-educated couples are less likely to have employee-oriented flexibility and more often form male breadwinner families, particularly as family size increases. Additionally, we demonstrate that below tertiary-educated fathers often have to rely on employer-oriented schedules, which highlight the challenges they may face in balancing work and family responsibilities due to unpredictable work hours. We found this pattern most common in Southern Europe. This study underscores the critical intersection of education, working-time flexibility, and parenthood in shaping labour force participation and perpetuating gender inequalities across socioeconomic strata." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Killewald, Alexandra & Nino José Cricco (2025): Can fertility decline help explain gender pay convergence? In: Social forces, Jg. 103, H. 4, S. 1329-1349. DOI:10.1093/sf/soae153

Abstract

"Prior scholarship demonstrates that motherhood wage penalties and fatherhood wage premiums contribute to the gender pay gap. These analyses typically take a cross-sectional perspective, asking to what extent gender inequalities in the association between parenthood and wages can explain gender pay inequality for a given cohort or at a given moment in time. By contrast, explorations of gender pay convergence over time have tended to start at the firm’s door, testing the explanatory power of changes in men’s and women’s human capital and job characteristics and neglecting the contributions of fertility change. We bring these two strands of research together, asking to what extent declines 1980–2018 in US employees’ number of children can explain gender pay convergence over the same period. Using a descriptive decomposition and data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we show that, in gross terms, fertility decline can explain almost one-quarter of gender pay convergence from 1980 to 2018. Even net of a host of controls for human capital and job characteristics, fertility decline explains 8 percent of the attenuation of the US gender pay gap 1980–2018—about half as much as changes in education and about a quarter as much as changes in full-time work experience and job tenure combined. Finally, we show that employees’ fertility decline was fastest in the 1980s and subsequently slowed; this, in conjunction with persistent gender differences in parenthood–wage associations, helps explain stalled progress toward gender pay parity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kim, Andrew Taeho & ChangHwan Kim (2025): Double disadvantage of Black, Hispanic, and Asian American women in earnings, revisited. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 96. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101018

Abstract

"Prior literature suggests that women of color experience unique disadvantages as women and as racial minorities. However, empirical studies that hypothesize an additional disadvantage for women of color in personal earnings have not found supporting evidence. This study explores the family contexts and the local labor market conditions by which double disadvantage is mitigated. Using the 2015–2019 American Community Survey, we uncover a paradoxical pattern that the stronger the power of race in accounting for earnings inequality among men in a local labor market, the weaker double disadvantage married women of color experience. The relative performances of women of color compared to White women in terms of personal earnings, annual work hours, and hourly earnings are positively associated with the strength of race in explaining earnings inequality among men across local labor markets. No such paradoxical patterns are persistently evident among cohabiting or single women. The implications of these findings are discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))

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Konietzka, Dirk & Sebastian Wen (2025): Can women bridge the gender class gap by choosing a gender-atypical field of study? A study based the on the German micro-census 1996–2016. In: Journal of education and work, Jg. 37, H. 7/8, S. 550-567. DOI:10.1080/13639080.2025.2487421

Abstract

"The persistence of gender-stereotyped subject choices is considered as a detrimental factor for women’s labor market opportunities. Against this background, the paperfocusses on the labor market chances of women who graduated from a male-dominated field of study in higher education. We use a position in the upper service class as a criterion for successful job placement. Analyses of German micro-census data are conducted across labor market subsectors and over the period 1996–2016. Results show that class positions of women who graduated in male-dominated fields of study vary substantially by labor market segment. They are less likely than men to be employed in the upper service class specifically in large private sector firms, but at the same time more likely to be employed in the public sector. Over time, the private sector gender class gap has narrowed, but not disappeared." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kostøl, Fredrik B. & Elin Svarstad (2025): From bargaining to balance: How unions shape gender wage outcomes. In: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Jg. 236. DOI:10.1016/j.jebo.2025.107130

Abstract

"Women continue to earn less than men in OECD countries. Extensive research has explored various factors contributing to the gender wage gap. However, fewer studies have examined the impact of trade unions, despite their significant role in promoting equality. In this study, we exploit exogenous variation in tax scheme incentives for union members to identify the effect of trade unions on the gender wage gap in Norwegian private sector establishments. Using administrative register data on full-time private-sector workers in the period 2000–2014, we find that increases in union density reduce wage differences between women and men within establishments. A ten-percentage point increase in the workplace union density is estimated to reduce the gender wage gap by approximately 2.7 percentage points." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

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Kuo, Mei-Yu & Vincent J. Roscigno (2025): Labor force attachment, college majors, and the gender earnings gap. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 100. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101107

Abstract

"Workplace stratification research has been clear regarding ongoing earnings inequalities by gender and how both family dynamics and long-term employment may be playing a role. Gender gaps in both earnings and labor force integration, however, may also be partially shaped by divergences in post-secondary educational backgrounds. In this article, we draw on NLSY97 data and interrogate gender wage inequalities among college educated individuals in the U.S., how they may be tied to distinct fields of study, and the implications especially for labor force attachment and detachment over time. Results show clear divergences and significant contemporary baccalaureate underrepresentation of women in STEM fields—i.e., fields where eventual labor force attachment and wages tend to be highest. Although well-represented among non-STEM degree holders, women’s wage returns to these degrees are depressed relative to their male counterparts; a pattern partly tied to women’s concentration in “applied” fields of study that tend to lead to care-centered forms of employment. Further analyses show how observable earnings gaps across majors are partly a consequence of differences in labor force attachment across time; and that earnings benefits associated with labor force attachment are nearly double for men than for women. We conclude by discussing the stratified gender pipeline in educational pathways, its implications for employment integration and, consequently, ongoing earnings gaps." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))

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Laschinski, Miriam & Ruth Abramowski (2025): Lebenslauffolgen der professionellen Erbringung von Care-Arbeit. (DIFIS-Impuls 2025,9), Duisburg ; Bremen, 4 S.

Abstract

"Der Arbeitskräftemangel in den sozialen Dienstleistungen ist inzwischen zu einem Dauerbrenner geworden. Dass dies nicht nur ein Resultat des demografischen Wandels ist, sondern auch von schlechter Personalplanung, einer Ökonomisierung des Care-Sektors sowie schlechten Arbeitsbedingungen in Pflegeheimen, Kranken­­häusern und Kitas begleitet wird, ist zunehmend Konsens in Öffentlichkeit und Forschung. Insbesondere kurz- und langfristige Folgen für die professionell Beschäftigten, die diese Dienstleistungen erbringen, rücken zunehmend in den Fokus. So haben die hohen Arbeitsbelastungen negative Auswirkungen auf die unmittelbare, aber auch auf die langfristige physische wie psychische Gesundheit. Hinzu kommen geringe Aufstiegs- und Weiterbildungsmöglichkeiten, häufige Erwerbsunterbrechungen sowie komplette Berufsaus­stiege, sodass Karriereverläufe beeinträchtigt werden und die finanzielle Absicherung kurz- wie langfristig bedroht ist. Auf individueller Ebene können Stress sowie Konflikte mit dem eigenen Berufsethos – gute Pflege oder Betreuung erbringen zu wollen, aber aus Zeitgründen nicht leisten zu können – entstehen, sodass negative Konsequenzen für die Qualität der Dienstleistungserbringung nicht selten sind. Auf gesamtgesellschaftlicher Ebene kann dies zu einer unbefriedigten Nachfrage nach professioneller und qualitativ hochwertiger Care-Arbeit führen. Verbesserungs- und Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten ergeben sich durch Tarifverträge und Arbeitsbedingungen, die der Sozialstaat und die Sozialpartner vorantreiben können. Dieser Impuls ist durch die Vorträge und Diskussionen des Workshops „Lebenslauffolgen der professionellen Erbringung von Care-Arbeit“ im Februar 2025 inspiriert worden. Auf diesem Wege möchten sich die Organisatorinnen der Veranstaltung, die auch gleichzeitig die Autorinnen dieses DIFIS-Impulses sind, noch einmal ganz herzlich bei allen Workshop-Beteiligten bedanken! Es war eine tolle und bereichernde Veranstaltung, die durch jeden einzelnen Vortrag und Diskussionsbeitrag bereichert wurde. Darüber hinaus geht ein großer Dank an Franca Riegert und Greta Becker für die sehr gute Unterstützung sowohl bei der Vorbereitung als auch bei der Durchführung des Workshops! Dieser Impuls fasst zentrale Erkenntnisse der Diskussion zusammen, kann aber natürlich nicht die Tiefe und Breite der gesamten Veranstaltung abbilden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Maier, Eva-Maria, Almond Stöcker, Bernd Fitzenberger & Sonja Greven (2025): Additive density-on-scalar regression in Bayes Hilbert spaces with an application to gender economics. In: The annals of applied statistics, Jg. 19, H. 1, S. 680-700., 2024-10-21. DOI:10.1214/24-aoas1979

Abstract

"Motivated by research on gender identity norms and the distribution of the woman’s share in a couple’s total labor income, we consider additive regression models for densities as responses with scalar covariates. To preserve nonnegativity and integration to one under vector space operations, we formulate the model for densities in a Bayes Hilbert space, which allows to not only consider continuous densities but also, for example, discrete or mixed densities. Mixed ones occur in our application, as the woman’s income share is a continuous variable having discrete point masses at zero and one for single-earner couples. Estimation is based on a gradient boosting algorithm, allowing for potentially numerous flexible (linear, nonlinear, categorical, interaction etc.) covariate effects and model selection. We show useful properties of Bayes Hilbert spaces related to subcompositional coherence, also yielding new (odds-ratio) interpretations of effect functions and simplified estimation for mixed densities via an orthogonal decomposition. Applying our approach to data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) shows a more symmetric distribution in East German than in West German couples after reunification and a smaller child penalty comparing couples with and without minor children. These West–East differences become smaller but are persistent over time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Matavelli, Ieda, Pauline Grosjean, Ralph De Haas & Victoria Baranov (2025): Masculinity Norms and Their Economic Consequences. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20549), London, 37 S., Anhang.

Abstract

"While economists have extensively studied gender norms affecting women, masculinity norms — the informal rules that guide and constrain the behaviors of boys and men — remain underexplored. This review first examines how other disciplines have studied masculinity, providing economists with conceptual foundations and empirical patterns for understanding masculinity norms. We then discuss how the study of masculinity norms can inform the economics literature on gender gaps and men's outcomes across multiple domains: health behavior, labor supply and occupational choice, violence and aggression, and political preferences. We also discuss the paths for transmission and persistence of masculinity norms. Finally, using novel survey data from 70 countries, we present five stylized facts about masculinity norms. We document substantial global variation in these norms and demonstrate their predictive power for various socioeconomic and political Outcomes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Melentyeva, Valentina & Lukas Riedel (2025): Child Penalty Estimation and Mothers Age at First Birth. (RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 2025,19), Berlin, 45 S.

Abstract

"We show that the widespread approach to estimate the career costs of motherhood – so called “child penalties” – is prone to produce biased results, as it pools first-time mothers of all ages without accounting for their differences in characteristics and outcomes. We propose a novel method building on the recent advances in the difference-in-differences literature to address this issue. Applied to German administrative data, our method yields 30 percent larger post-birth earnings losses than the conventional approach. We document meaningful effect heterogeneity by maternal age in both magnitude and interpretation, highlighting its key role in understanding the impact of motherhood." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Mogstad, Magne, Kjell G. Salvanes & Gaute Torsvik (2025): Income Equality in The Nordic Countries: Myths, Facts, and Lessons. (BFI Working Papers / University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics 2025,25), Chicago, 58 S. DOI:10.2139/ssrn.5133608

Abstract

"Policymakers, public commentators, and researchers often cite the Nordic countries as examples of a social and economic model that successfully combines low income inequality with prosperity and growth. This article aims to critically assess this claim by integrating theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence to illustrate how the Nordic model functions and why these countries experience low inequality. Our analysis suggests that income equality in the Nordics is primarily driven by a significant compression of hourly wages, reducing the returns to labor market skills and education. This appears to be achieved through a wage bargaining system characterized by strong coordination both within and across industries. This finding contrasts with other commonly cited explanations for Nordic income equality, such as redistribution through the tax-transfer system, public spending on goods that complement employment, and public policies aimed at equalizing skills and human capital distribution. We consider the potential lessons for other economies that seek to reduce income equality. We conclude by discussing several underexplored or unresolved questions and issues." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Muffert, Johanna & Regina T. Riphahn (2025): Long-Run Career Outcomes of Multiple Job Holding. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17605), Bonn, 57 S.

Abstract

"Multiple job holding (MJH) is increasingly frequent in industrialized countries. Individuals holding a secondary job add to their experience, skills, and networks. We study the long-run labor market outcomes after MJH and investigate whether career effects can be validated. We employ high-quality administrative data from Germany. Our doubly robust estimation method combines entropy balancing with fixed effects difference-in-differences regressions. We find that income from primary employment declines after MJH spells and overall annual earnings from all jobs increase briefly. Job mobility increases after MJH spells. Interestingly, the beneficial long-term effects of MJH are largest for disadvantaged groups in the labor market such as females, those with low earnings, and low education. Overall, we find only limited benefits of MJH." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Noa, Israeli, Gelbgiser Dafna & Stier Haya (2025): The gendered division of paid labour among families of children with disabilities: a comparative approach. In: European Societies, S. 1-45. DOI:10.1162/euso.a.83

Abstract

"Having a child with a disability intensifies work-family conflict due to the additional caregiving demands. Prior research suggests that this conflict reinforces more traditional patterns of labour division in families of children with disabilities (FOCD), contributing to a well-documented ‘disability penalty’, where mothers' relative contribution to paid labour is lower in FOCD than in other families. Yet, it remains unclear whether and how the disability penalty is shaped by family and FOCD-specific policies. We shed light on this association by analysing data from the 2021 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC) data from four European countries that differ in their family policies frameworks: Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland. Our findings suggest that the interplay of family policies and prevailing gender norms may shape the extent of the disability penalty, with crossnational variations in the differences between FOCD and non-FOCD in their gendered division of paid labour. A significant disability penalty is observed only in Poland, a country marked by minimal, means-tested support for FOCD alongside expectations of full-time employment for both parents. In contrast, in Finland, Spain, and the Netherlands, the disability penalty is either negligible or statistically non-significant. These results highlight the importance of a comparative perspective in understanding the disability penalty and highlights the role of family policies in shaping labour market outcomes for FOCD. Findings offer valuable insights for policymakers addressing the challenges faced by FOCD across Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ong, Pinchuan (2025): The Effect of Child Support on Fathers’ Labor Supply. In: Journal of labor economics. DOI:10.1086/740192

Abstract

"Child support frequently increases with the noncustodial fathers’ incomes. I study the effect on their work incentives. For identification, I exploit the end of child support when the children involved reach emancipation age. Empirically, child support paid drops to near zero on emancipation; fathers correspondingly increase their work hours and annual earnings. Formally, each 10 percentage point increase in the child support rate leads to an 8–11 percent decrease in labor supply conditional on working. I find weaker extensive margin responses. In a structural model, I map these estimates to the intertemporal elasticity of labor supply (Frisch elasticity)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Palladino, Marco G., Antoine Bertheau, Alexander Hijzen, Astrid Kunze, César Barreto, Dogan Gülümser, Marta Lachowska, Anne Sophie Lassen, Salvatore Lattanzio, Benjamin Lochner, Stefano Lombardi, Jordy Meekes, Balázs Muraközy & Oskar Nordström Skans (2025): Firms and the Gender Wage Gap: A Comparison of Eleven Countries. (VATT working papers / Valtion Taloudellinen Tutkimuskeskus (Helsinki) 181), Helsinki, 82 S.

Abstract

"We quantify the role of gender-specific firm wage premiums in explaining the private-sector gender gap in hourly wages using a harmonized research design across 11 matched employer-employee datasets of ten European countries and Washington State, USA. These premiums contribute to the gender wage gap through two channels: women's concentration in lower-paying firms (sorting) and women receiving lower premiums than men within the same firm (pay-setting). We find that firm wage premiums account for 10 to 30 percent of the gender wage gap. While both mechanisms matter, sorting is the predominant driver of the firm contribution to the gender wage gap in most countries. We document three patterns that are broadly consistent across countries: (1) women's sorting into lower-paying firms increases with age; (2)women are more concentrated in low-paying firms with a high share of part-time workers; and (3) women receive about 90 percent of the rents that men receive from firm surplus gains." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Pfahl, Svenja, Eugen Unrau & Yvonne Lott (2025): Stand der Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in Deutschland in ausgewählten Branchen. (WSI-Report 102), Düsseldorf, 74 S.

Abstract

"Wie einheitlich oder unterschiedlich vollzieht sich die Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in den verschiedenen Branchen auf dem deutschen Arbeitsmarkt in Hinblick auf Erwerbsarbeitszeit, Entgelt oder Erwerbsform? Anhand zentraler Indikatoren auf Basis des WSI GenderDatenPortals liefert der vorliegende Report eine zusammenfassende Übersicht über den aktuellen Stand der Geschlechtergleichstellung in Deutschland, differenziert nach Einzelbranchen aus dem Produktions- und Dienstleistungsbereich. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Geschlechterungleichheit insbesondere in Hinblick auf die Erwerbsarbeitszeitdauer und das Entgelt über (fast) alle Branchen hinweg fortbesteht. Die detaillierte branchenbezogene Betrachtung zeigt zudem, dass bei einer Vielzahl von einzelnen Arbeitsmerkmalen Unterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern bestehen (z. B. bei Befristung, Teilzeitarbeit, überlanger Vollzeit, Tätigkeit als Helfer*in, Entgelten im unteren Entgeltbereich, Existenzsicherung durch eigenes Erwerbseinkommen, ausschließlicher Tätigkeit im Minijob), die in einigen Branchen deutlich stärker ausgeprägt sind als in anderen. Hierbei fallen besonders sieben Produktionsbranchen und neun Dienstleistungsbranchen auf, die sich durch deutliche Geschlechterabstände (dem Abstand in Prozentpunkten zwischen Frauen und Männern in Hinblick auf ein einzelnes Arbeitsmerkmal) kennzeichnen und in einer Mehrheit von Arbeitsmerkmalen eine verstärkt ungünstige Situation für Frauen aufweisen. Gegenüber dem Vergleichsjahr 2021 weisen 2023 insgesamt mehr Branchen einen deutlichen, zweistelligen Geschlechterabstand für mindestens die Hälfte aller Arbeitsmerkmale auf. Gleichzeitig zeigen sich für eine Reihe von Branchen auch punktuelle Verringerungen des Geschlechterabstandes, gerade bei den Indikatoren zur Lage der Arbeitszeit sowie der Existenzsicherung durch eigene Erwerbsarbeit." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Prakash, Arjun & Inder Sekhar Yadav (2025): Analysing gender pay disparities and structural barriers among software developers: a cross-country study. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 59. DOI:10.1186/s12651-025-00407-z

Abstract

"This study analyses gender disparity in a highly skilled labour force within the modern knowledge-based economy. It explores the global gender pay disparity among software developers, examining structural barriers like the “glass ceiling” and “sticky floor” effects across different economic and geographical regions. Using quantile regression and Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, the research analyses countries based on the World Bank classification to understand variations. The study reveals a moderate gender pay gap of 8.8% in High-Income countries, in contrast to 36.6% in lower-middle-income countries and a pronounced 47.9% in South Asia. Further, the study establishes the presence of a glass ceiling phenomenon among high-income and upper-middle-income countries in contrast to the sticky floor effect in lower-middle-income countries. Moreover, the study identifies that the unexplained component is higher in Non-High-Income countries than in High-Income countries. The study emphasises the need for Lower-Middle-Income regions, especially in South Asia, to adopt strategies from High-Income countries to create a more equitable workplace." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Raison, Fearghal (2025): Entgeltgleichheit: Pharma näher dran als andere Industrien. (IW-Kurzberichte / Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft Köln 2025,46), Köln, 3 S.

Abstract

"In der Pharmaindustrie sind die Gehaltsunterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen im Vergleich zu vielen anderen Industriebranchen besonders gering. Im Industriedurchschnitt verdienen Frauen aktuell noch 15 Prozent weniger als ihre männlichen Kollegen, in pharmazeutischen Unternehmen 10 Prozent." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Rausch, Johannes (2025): Women and Part-Time Workers: Saviors of Social Insurance Systems? (MEA discussion papers / Munich Center for the Economics of Aging 2025,10), München, 25 S.

Abstract

"This study assesses the fiscal effects of mobilizing underutilized labor market potential of women and part-time workers on pay-as-you-go social insurance systems in times of demographic aging. Aging implies a decreasing working-age population relative to the number of beneficiaries of social insurance, especially pensions, healthcare and long-term care. Hence, increasing labor force participation of women and hours of labor supply by part-timers in countries, where female labor force participation is low and part-time employment high are obvious candidates to compensate for this loss. This paper shows that matters are not that simple. Beneficial effects on the contribution rate to social insurance are different between adding workers and adding hours and depend on the link between wages and benefits. The study uses Germany as an example. It shows that increasing female labor force participation has only a modest impact, as the gender gap in participation rates has largely closed. Even between extreme scenarios, the difference in contribution rates across all insurance schemes would not exceed one percentage point. Reducing Germany’s high share of part-time employment has greater potential to relieve financial pressures, but primarily in health and long-term care insurance. If part-time work in Germany were lowered to the Swedish level, the combined contribution rate for these schemes would rise by about 1.2 percentage points less, assuming no adverse effects on health or informal care. In contrast, the pension contribution rate remains largely unaffected. That is because the shift from part-time to full-time work raises annual earnings and therefore overall wage growth, which under Germany’s pension adjustment mechanism translates almost one-to-one into higher pension benefits. The gains from additional labor therefore primarily accrue to pension recipients rather than reducing the financial burden on all contributors." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Roos, Louisa (2025): The true gender pay gap: Accounting for the distribution of unpaid labour. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 247. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2024.112144

Abstract

"This paper proposes a novel method to measure gender pay gaps, incorporating paid and unpaid labour. Decomposition analysis using Swiss labour force data attributes a sizable and persistent share of this pay gap to segregation across paid and unpaid work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))

Zitatform

Rosenball, Riccarda (2025): The Gender Pay Gap in German Manufacturing: How Exporters Drive Wage Equality Trends. (Graz Economics Papers 2025-08), Graz, 56 S.

Abstract

"This study examines the gender pay gap in West Germany's manufacturing sector using linked employer-employee data. The gender pay gap has nearly halved for exporting firms since 1993 - a decline that is much smaller for non-exporting firms. Long-term exporters employ a large share of the workforce and drive trends across the entire sector. Some of the largest exporting industries, such as vehicle manufacturing, show the lowest gender pay gaps. I show that the decline in the gender pay gap of exporters is driven by the increasing representation of women in high-paying positions. Tracking the gender pay gap over the first 10 to 15 years of employees' careers reveals that this decline is largely due to a growing share of highly educated women in the workforce, along with stronger opportunities for career advancement for women. Providing women with early career advancement opportunities is key to breaking the glass ceiling and reducing persistent gender pay disparities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Sandner, Malte & Ipek Yükselen (2025): Unraveling the gender wage gap: Exploring early career patterns among university graduates. In: Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Jg. 72, H. 2, 2024-06-10. DOI:10.1111/sjpe.12405

Abstract

"A large body of literature has shown that the gender wage gap is small in the first years after graduation and increases gradually with age, largely because of family decisions, often a penalty caused by childbirth. However, the gender wage gap immediately after graduation has received less attention. Using a unique dataset that links 5000 university graduates with master's degrees or equivalent from a large German university to detailed employment records from the German social security register, we specifically analyze the gender wage gap at the first job and its dynamics during the initial years of their careers after graduation. We find that a significant gender wage gap already exists in the first job after graduation, even before most young individuals make family decisions. However, this gender wage gap decreases in the first year after entering the labor market and then increases slowly over time. We attribute this initial decrease in the gender wage gap to female university graduates experiencing greater returns from firm and occupational changes than their male counterparts. This suggests that women may use these changes to address skill mismatches, which are more common among women than men in their first job." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Schmid, Ramona (2025): Mindestlohn in Deutschland Chance zur Verringerung der Lohnungleichheit zwischen Männern und Frauen? In: Ifo-Schnelldienst, Jg. 78, H. 10, S. 60-63.

Abstract

"Im Jahr 2015 wurde deutschlandweit der gesetzliche Mindestlohn eingeführt. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt waren in Deutschland insbesondere Frauen im Niedriglohnsektor beschäftigt und die geschlechtsspezifsche Lohnlücke zwischen Männern und Frauen gehörte zu den höchsten in Europa. Eine neue Studie zeigt deutliche regionale Unterschiede innerhalb Deutschlands – sowohl imAusmaß der Lohnunterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen als auch in deren Entwicklung – nach der Einführung des Mindestlohns. Besonders in den ostdeutschen Bundesländern proftieren Frauen vom Mindestlohn, was zu einem deutlichen Rückgang der geschlechtsspezifschen Lohnlücke führt." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Schneider, Kimberly T., Sarah C. Williams & Rory E. Kuhn (2025): Workplace Discrimination Against Pregnant and Postpartum Employees: Links to Well-Being. In: International journal of environmental research and public health, Jg. 22, H. 8. DOI:10.3390/ijerph22081160

Abstract

"Pregnancy-related discrimination at work is a concern for many employees who navigate the pregnancy and postpartum stages of parenthood while working in the early-to-middle stages of their careers. Although there is legislation prohibiting pregnancy-related discrimination and ensuring accommodations postpartum, empirical evidence indicates many pregnant and postpartum employees still experience such behaviors. In this narrative review, we focus on describing the range of behaviors assessed in studies on pregnancy-related discrimination in several cultures, situating the occurrence of discrimination within theoretical frameworks related to stereotypes and gendered expectations. We also review evidence of employees’ postpartum experiences with a focus on the transition back to work, along with breastfeeding challenges related to pumping and storing milk at work. Regarding coping with pregnancy-related workplace discrimination and postpartum challenges during a return to work, we review the importance of social support, including instrumental and emotional support from allies and role models." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"Discrimination remains a persistent challenge in the European Union, despite efforts to enhance anti‑discrimination laws and inclusion policies. In the absence of comparable official data sources, this report draws on survey data and the OECD Anti‑Discrimination Questionnaire to analyze discrimination against people from racialized communities, LGBTI people, persons with disability and religious minorities in OECD EU countries. Self‑reported discrimination rates are rising in many OECD EU countries and discrimination, particularly when it occurs frequently, is associated with severe effects on people’s lives – constraining income‑earning opportunities, exacerbating housing and financial stress, increasing concerns about exposure to violence, and contributing to loneliness and mental ill-health. These consequences come at a considerable personal cost to the individuals directly affected and to society as a whole. While OECD EU countries have made progress in prohibiting discrimination and promoting inclusion, legal and policy gaps persist for some at‑risk groups, such as LGBTI people and religious minorities. Strengthening anti‑discrimination protections, harmonizing EU legislation across all protected grounds, and improving data collection could help foster greater inclusion and equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Singer, Kirsten & Yvonne Deyerler (2025): Die Arbeitsmarktsituation von Frauen und Männern 2024. (Berichte: Blickpunkt Arbeitsmarkt / Bundesagentur für Arbeit), Nürnberg, 26 S.

Abstract

"In den vergangenen 10 Jahren gab es in Deutschland deutliche Anstiege bei der Erwerbsbeteiligung. Nur in wenigen anderen europäischen Ländern war diese 2024 sowohl insgesamt, als auch insbesondere bei Frauen, so ausgeprägt. Frauen und Männer sind in sehr unterschiedlichem Maße in den verschiedenen Formen der Erwerbstätigkeit vertreten: Während das Geschlechterverhältnis bei Männern und Frauen in der sozialversicherungspflichtigen Beschäftigung und im Beamtenstatus relativ ausgeglichen ist, werden rund drei Fünftel der Minijobs von Frauen ausgeübt. Männer hingegen entscheiden sich mit zwei Dritteln deutlich häufiger für die Selbständigkeit als Frauen. Im Laufe der letzten 10 Jahre stieg die sozialversicherungspflichtige Beschäftigung bei beiden Geschlechtern, bei Frauen relativ gesehen etwas stärker. Die sozialversicherungspflichtige Beschäftigung ist 2024 im Vergleich zum Vorjahr bei den 15- bis unter 65- Jährigen ausschließlich bei Frauen gestiegen, bei Männern leicht gesunken. Frauen sind überproportional im tertiären Sektor, Männer häufiger im Verarbeitenden Gewerbe, dem Bereich Verkehr und Logistik sowie im Baugewerbe beschäftigt. Daher sind in konjunkturellen Schwächephasen typischerweise vorrangig Männer vom Arbeitsplatzabbau betroffen, weil häufig industrielle Arbeitsplätze leiden. Jedoch haben Männer auch bessere Chancen, Arbeitslosigkeit durch die Aufnahme einer Beschäftigung zu überwinden. Im Jahr 2024 erreichte die Teilzeitbeschäftigung bei Männern und Frauen einen neuen Höchststand. Bei Frauen ist diese Beschäftigungsform nach wie vor weiter verbreitet. Männer erzielen im Mittel nach wie vor ein höheres monatliches Bruttoarbeitsentgelt als Frauen, was vielfältige Gründe wie u.a. die Berufswahl, die Wahrnehmung von Familienpflichten oder die Rahmenbedingungen für eine vertikale berufliche Weiterentwicklung hat. Der Gender Pay Gap schmilzt, jedoch nur in kleinen Schritten. Frauen üben – auch beigleicher Qualifikation – seltener eine Führungsposition aus. Die Arbeitslosenquote der Frauen liegt seit 2009, wenn auch teils sehr knapp, unter der Quote der Männer. 2024 stieg sie bei beiden Geschlechtern zum zweiten Mal in Folge. Arbeitslose Frauen und Männer sind mit jeweils einem Drittel etwa in gleichem Maße von Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit betroffen. Frauen stehen erheblich häufiger als Männer vor der Herausforderung, neben der Arbeitsuche allein für die Erziehung eines oder mehrerer Kinder verantwortlich zu sein. Das SGB III sieht die Beteiligung von Frauen an der arbeitsmarktpolitischen Förderung gemäß ihrem Anteil an den Arbeitslosen und ihrer relativen Betroffenheit von Arbeitslosigkeit vor. In der Umsetzung sind spürbare Unterschiede zwischen den Rechtskreisen erkennbar." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Skare, Marinko, Beáta Gavurová & Viliam Kovac (2025): Female entrepreneurship involvement in digital transformation process through perspective of gender employment and pay gaps. In: International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Jg. 21, H. 1. DOI:10.1007/s11365-024-01060-7

Abstract

"The main goal of the study is to investigate and to quantify the relations between the gender aspects and the processes of digital transformation in a relation to the eco-innovation processes. The processes of digital transformation in enterprises bring the changes of business strategies, processes, management, principles, approaches, and methods. A change in the roles of the managerial and other work positions, which can have an impact on efficiency of engaged processes in enterprises, is associated with them. The actual research studies aimed at investigating the female role in the leadership position have been focused on business processes mainly, which the effect of leadership is not difficult to quantify within. The procedures of digital transformation and the eco-innovation processes within them bring new dimension of the managerial work and a need for several technical, economic, and personal changes. According to the examined literature review, the three research questions are formulated, whilst each one is related to the particular examined field – the gender employment gap, the gender pay gap, and the female entrepreneurship participation. The applied regression analysis with the testing phase serves to analyse the data gathered. The carried-out analysis provides the interesting finding also from a geographical view. The gender employment gap in its different forms is confirmed by the outcomes of the constructed panel regression models in a majority of the explored cases. The gender pay gap is not seen as statistically significant. The female entrepreneurship participation represents the strongest point and it is confirmed absolutely at all. The study outcomes will support the creation of active environmental and innovation policies at the national and international level. Investigating gender diversity and its impact on the eco-innovation processes will enable the creation of mechanisms for eliminating the gender disparities, improving environmental reputation, and for effective decision-making processes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

Zitatform

Sockin, Jason & Michael Sockin (2025): A Pay Scale of Their Own: Gender Differences in Variable Pay. (CESifo working paper 11608), München, 67 S.

Abstract

"In the United States and other large economies, women receive less variable pay than men, even within the same firms and job titles. We argue this disparity in pay partly reflects labor market sorting. Since women are less-represented in more variable-pay-intensive jobs, even within occupations, women accumulate less variable pay over time. Women apply relatively less often to and early in their careers separate faster from such roles. Compared with their male peers, women perceive variable-paying jobs as offering worse amenities, including culture, work-life balance, and paid family leave. Compensation schemes appear to induce disparities in pay through worker sorting." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Stein, Ulrike (2025): Die Stabilisierung des Rentenniveaus bringt einen generationenübergreifenden Nutzen mit sich. Schriftliche Stellungnahme zum Gesetzentwurf der Bundesregierung zur Stabilisierung des Rentenniveaus und zur vollständigen Gleichstellung der Kindererziehungszeiten. (IMK policy brief / Institut für Makroökonomie und Konjunkturforschung 200), Düsseldorf, 21 S.

Abstract

"Das Rentenpaket 2025 zielt auf die Stabilisierung des Rentenniveaus und der Gleichstellung der Kindererziehungszeiten ab. Eine dauerhafte Stabilisierung des Rentenniveaus ist zur Lebensstandardsicherung unerlässlich, da eine Befristung bis zum 1. Juli 2031 zu kurz greift. Alle Generationen profitieren gleichermaßen von der Maßnahme; jüngere Generationen werden nicht benachteiligt, und die Reform ist finanziell tragbar. Die Mütterente III ist aus Gerechtigkeitsgründen nachvollziehbar, jedoch teuer und bürokratisch; die Mittel sollten in anderen Bereichen eingesetzt werden. Die Erhöhung der Nachhaltigkeitsreserve auf 0,3 Monatsausgaben ist sinnvoll, sollte jedoch nicht ausschließlich zu Lasten der Versicherten gehen. Fortschreiberegeln und Bundeszuschüsse sollten transparenter gestaltet, verlässlich sein und nicht beitragsgedeckte Leistungen ausreichend finanziert werden. Arbeitsrechtliche Anpassungen zur freiwilligen Weiterbeschäftigung nach der Regelaltersgrenze sollten bürokratisch vereinfacht werden, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf der Aktivierung ungenutzter Erwerbspotentiale im erwerbsfähigen Alter liegen sollte." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Vaccaro, Giannina, Gabriele Wydra-Somaggio & Pia Homrighausen (2025): Effectiveness of the German pay transparency law and the gender pay gap. In: German Journal of Human Resource Management, Jg. 39, H. 3, S. 248-278., 2024-08-09. DOI:10.1177/23970022241280877

Abstract

"Germany, like many other countries, implemented a new pay transparency law to reduce the gender pay gap in 2017. The German Pay Transparency Law (ETG) targets mainly employers to reveal their wage structure, and employees are entitled to claim fair wages. This paper investigates the effectiveness of this policy via comprehensive data that link detailed information from all full-time employees in a representative sample of German establishments. Using a difference-in-discontinuity (diff-in-disc) at the two relevant establishment thresholds (approximately 200 employees and approximately 500 employees) of the law, we study changes in the gender pay gap and employment as well as its interaction with existing employee organizations to reduce unequal pay. The short-term results show that the ETG was only effective in reducing the raw gender wage gap in the presence of works councils and collective bargaining agreements for medium-sized firms (between 200 and 499 employees). In the absence of these institutions, establishments without works councils and collective bargaining agreements increased their unexplained gender wage gap after the introduction of the ETG. These results emphasize the importance of the presence of works councils and collective bargaining agreements in advancing equal pay policies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Yilmaz, Levent & Julia Brandl (2025): Does pay disclosure in job offers remove gender differences in pay estimations? Evidence from an experiment with students and job seekers in the context of Austria. In: German Journal of Human Resource Management, Jg. 39, H. 3, S. 279-306. DOI:10.1177/23970022241240589

Abstract

"Pay disclosure aims at closing the gender pay gap by providing employees especially women with better salary knowledge, yet the effectiveness of employers’ practices is little understood. We use a lab-in-the-field experiment where participants estimate the salaries for several common pay statements for job offers which employers use in the context of the legislation in Austria. Our study with management students ( n = 385) shows that employer practices offer no solution to the problem of gender differences, except for the practice of salary range. The replication of the experiment with the real job seekers ( n = 242) demonstrates that gender differences disappear also for some practices, but not for the practice of mentioning excess payment (or overpay) options, which is common in Austria. This means that legislation addresses the gender gap most effectively when it encourages employers to display the salary range." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Zamberlan, Anna, Diana Roxana Galos, Susanne Strauss & Thomas Hinz (2025): Fairness Evaluations of Higher Education Graduates’ Earnings: The Role of Female Preference for Equality and Self‐Interest. In: The British journal of sociology, Jg. 76, H. 3, S. 541-552. DOI:10.1111/1468-4446.13192

Abstract

"Educational and occupational horizontal segregation contribute significantly to economic inequalities, especially in contexts with a strong correspondence between fields of study and occupational outputs, such as in Germany. However, the extent to which individuals perceive disparities in economic returns across different fields of study as fair and the factors influencing these fairness evaluations remain largely unexplored. This study aims to understand fairness evaluations by assessing two theoretical explanations and their interrelation: (1) female preference for equality, where women generally favour smaller earnings disparities, and (2) biases leading to higher reward expectations for individuals in the same field of study as the evaluator. Our empirical research draws on a novel survey experiment from the German Student Survey (2021), in which higher education students evaluated the fairness of realistic earnings for graduates from various fields of study. These earnings relate to the entry phase of an individual's career, reflecting differences in economic returns exclusively tied to fields of study, independent of occupational or life trajectories. Our findings support the female preference for equality and self-interest theoretical perspectives, revealing that women and respondents in fields associated with lower-earning jobs tend to perceive greater unfairness. We further find evidence of an interaction between the two mechanisms, with women being particularly likely to perceive greater unfairness when it aligns with their self-interest." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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(2025): Gender Equality in a Changing World. Taking Stock and Moving Forward. (Gender Equality at Work), Paris: OECD Publishing, 311 S. DOI:10.1787/e808086f-en

Abstract

"Despite significant progress over the last century, women still fare worse than men in most economic, social and political outcomes in EU and OECD countries. Drawing on novel data and using a lifecycle approach, this report presents a comprehensive stocktaking of how women, men, girls and boys are faring across seven key policy areas – education and skills, paid and unpaid work, leadership and representation, health, gender-based violence, the green transition and the digital transitions. The challenges are significant. Recognising that closing gender gaps requires serious and co-ordinated policy commitments and actions, this report presents countries’ good practices in gender mainstreaming, encourages breaking down silos, and identifies useful policy combinations to advance gender equality. A conceptual framework is included for governments seeking to assess their own legal, policy and budgetary measures, to help countries transform gender equality commitments into action." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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(2025): Gleichstellung in der sozial-ökologischen Transformation. Gutachten für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung. (Verhandlungen des Deutschen Bundestages. Drucksachen 20/15105 Vierter), Berlin, 259 S.

Abstract

"Der Vierte Gleichstellungsbericht widmet sich dem Klimawandel und Klimapolitiken in Deutschland unter dem Aspekt der Geschlechtergerechtigkeit. Die Sachverständigen waren beauftragt Ursachen und Auswirkungen des Klimawandels sowie Auswirkungen umwelt- und klimapolitischer Maßnahmen auf die Geschlechterverhältnisse darzustellen, Empfehlungen zur gleichstellungsorientierten Gestaltung der ökologischen Transformation zu erarbeiten, und Empfehlungen zu Strukturen, Instrumenten und institutionellen Mechanismen für eine an Art. 3 Abs. 2 und 3 Grundgesetz orientierte Gleichstellungs-, Umwelt- und Klimapolitik zu entwickeln. Die von Bundesgleichstellungsministerin Lisa Paus im März 2023 berufene Sachverständigenkommission übergab ihr Gutachten Anfang Januar 2025 an die Ministerin. Dieses wurde Anfang März 2025 veröffentlicht. Am 12. März 2025 beschloss das Bundeskabinett die Stellungnahme der Bundesregierung zum Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht, die zusammen mit dem Gutachten als Gleichstellungsbericht veröffentlicht wurde (Bundestags-Drucksache 20/15105). Der Bericht wurde anschließend dem Bundestag und dem Bundesrat vorgelegt." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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(2025): Gender Equality Index 2024: Sustaining momentum on a fragile path. (Gender equality index ...), Vilnius, 118 S. DOI:10.2839/9523460

Abstract

"Since 2010, the Gender Equality Index has set a benchmark for equality between women and men to guide decision-makers on policies and goals for a more balanced and inclusive society across the EU by highlighting what is working and where, and what is not working. Chapter 1 presents the results of the Gender Equality Index 2024, along with key trends since the 2023 edition and between 2010 and 2022. A convergence analysis reveals diverse progress patterns at the national level while providing a broader context for Index findings. Chapters 2–8 summarise the policy context, the EU and country scores in key Index domains and how these scores link to violence against women. An intersectional approach exposes different layers of inequality across domains." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Aavik, Kadri, Pille Ubakivi-Hadachi, Maaris Raudsepp & Triin Roosalu (2024): The gender pay gap—What's the problem represented to be? Analyzing the discourses of Estonian employers, employees, and state officials on pay equality. In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 31, H. 1, S. 171-191. DOI:10.1111/gwao.13061

Abstract

"The gender pay gap (GPG) remains significant in most countries and is a key indicator of gender inequality in society. Qualitative research on the GPG is scarce, yet, qualitative perspectives on the GPG are valuable as the ways in which the GPG is understood and talked about shape actions to tackle it. This article focuses on how the GPG is represented in the context of work and organizations, inspired by the “What's the Problem Represented to be?” approach, developed by Carol Bacchi. The analysis draws on qualitative data—63 interviews with employers, employees, and state officials—collected in Estonia which exhibits one of the largest GPGs in the European Union. Five dominant representations of the GPG were identified: the GPG as (a) consciously produced by employers, (b) different pay for the same work, (c) unmeasurable due to “unique” and “incomparable” jobs and workers, (d) produced by women's failure to ask for fair pay, and (e) impossible for employers to reduce because of market forces. Collectively, these representations render the GPG inevitable, downplaying its emergence as a result of specific gendered social practices. This has implications for the employers' and the state's willingness and strategies to reduce the GPG." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Abrahams, Scott (2024): An analysis of the gender layoff gap implied by a gender gap in wage bargaining. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 234. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2023.111505

Abstract

"The assumption that wage bargaining power is greater for men than for women yields a novel, mechanical implication regarding the gender wage gap: there should also be a gender layoff gap. If women with the same marginal product of labor as men exercise less bargaining power and consequently earn lower wages, then female workers should on average be more profitable for a firm. When conditions reduce labor demand, the firm should therefore prefer to lay off its male workers first. I show that this is consistent with the data for the United States from 1982–2019. A calibration exercise based on the gender gap in layoff rates suggests that the female bargaining share has risen from 14% lower to 6% lower than the male share over time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2024 Elsevier) ((en))

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Afonso, António & M. Carmen Blanco-Arana (2024): The Persistence of Gender Pay and Employment Gaps in European Countries. (CESifo working paper 11315), München, 18 S.

Abstract

"The gender pay gap and the gender gap in employment remains persistent in Europe despite the basic assertion of gender equality under EU law. We assess the factors that influence the gender pay gap and gender employment gap across European countries. Therefore, we use an unbalanced panel of 31 European countries over the period 2000-2022, and estimate a system generalized method of moment model (GMM). The main conclusions confirm that tertiary education significantly reduces gender pay gap and part-time and temporary contracts significantly increase this gap. Moreover, part-time reduces significantly gender employment gap. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita does not affect these gaps and the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) saw a narrowing of the gender pay and employment gaps in European countries. The results are robust when using a fixed effects (FE) model." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Antoni, Manfred, Hans-Dieter Gerner, Robert Jäckle & Stefan Schwarz (2024): When Women Learn That They Earn Less: The Gender Pay Gap in University Student Internships. (MPRA paper / University Library of Munich 122018), München, 34 S.

Abstract

"Internships are an important and often mandatory part of academic education. They offer valuable insights into the labor market but can also expose students to negative aspects of the working world, such as gender pay disparities. Our paper provides first evidence of a gender pay gap in mandatory internships, with women earning up to 7% less per hour than men. Notably, this gap is not due to women choosing higher-quality internships over higher pay. Further analyses show that the internship pay gap is similar in magnitude to the labor market entry wage gap among graduates. We discuss potential mechanisms by which the internship pay gap may contribute to the graduation wage gap and present empirical evidence to support this." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Aragonès, Enriqueta (2024): Gender Choice at Work. (Barcelona GSE working paper series 1460), Barcelona, 29 S.

Abstract

"This paper analyzes the demand based causes of gender discrimination in the labor market and it aims to explain the currently existing gender gaps in terms of labor market participation and lab or income. I propose a formal model to analyze the gender discrimination that individuals face at work due to statistical discrimination and taste-based discrimination. I study the effects of discrimination on the lab or market participation, income, and utility distributions and compare these effects between the female and male sectors of the society. I show that the conditions that dissipate the gender gaps are also good to improve efficiency. However, in order to reach a first best it is necessary to eliminate all kinds of gender related idiosyncratic preferences that are based on stereotypes and conscious and unconscious biases." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Arnemann, Laura, Lukas Riedel & Holger Stichnoth (2024): Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede bei Einkommen und Erwerbsbeteiligung, wichtige Einflussfaktoren und Ereignisse. Forschungsbericht im Rahmen des Siebten Armuts- und Reichtumsberichts. Mannheim, 120 S.

Abstract

"Der vorliegende Bericht legt geschlechts- und kohortenspezifische Altersprofile von Erwerbseinkommen und Beschäftigung vor, analysiert Einflussfaktoren auf diese Profile (Bildung, Kinderzahl, Migrationshintergrund, Wohnort in Ost- oder Westdeutschland), untersucht die Auswirkungen (erwerbs-)biografischer Ereignisse (Geburt des ersten Kindes, Scheidung, Arbeitslosigkeit, Erwerbsminderung/Schwerbehinderung) auf Erwerbseinkommen und Beschäftigung und arbeitet in einer Lebensverlaufsbetrachtung typische Verläufe der Einkommen, gemessen an der alters- und jahresspezifischen Position in der Einkommensverteilung, sowie die Verteilung der kumulierten Erwerbseinkommen im Alter von 20 bis 45, differenziert nach Geschlecht, Kohorte und weiteren Merkmalen, heraus. Datengrundlage sind das Sozio-oekonomische Panel und die Stichprobe der Integrierten Arbeitsmarktbiografien." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Arsenev, Aleksandr, Meryem Gökten, Philipp Heimberger, Andreas Lichtenberger & Bernhard Schütz (2024): Gender and Education Gaps in Employment: New Evidence for the EU. (WIIW working paper 251), Wien, 45 S.

Abstract

"This paper analyses (age-adjusted) employment rates by gender and education. We find that male female gender gaps and high-low education gaps in employment vary markedly across European Union (EU) countries and regions, with larger gaps existing in Eastern and Southern Europe than in Nordic and Continental EU countries. We estimate that closing existing education gaps in employment between high and lower education levels would raise the employment rate in the EU for the year 2022 by 10.6 percentage points, whereas closing the gender gaps between men and women would lead to an increase of 2.5 percentage points. At the same time, closing both the gender and education gaps would raise the EU employment rate from 76% to 89% of the population. Furthermore, we provide new evidence on the cyclical behaviour of employment gaps, finding that gender gaps are procyclical. While female employment rates tend to be more resilient than male employment rates during economic downturns, male employment rates tend to grow at a faster pace than female employment rates during upswings. In contrast, education gaps are more countercyclical, as employment risks are more strongly concentrated where education is low." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Avenancio-León, Carlos F., Alessio Piccolo & Leslie Sheng Shen (2024): Self-reinforcing Glass Ceilings. (Working papers / Federal Reserve Bank of Boston 2024-14), Boston, 89 S.

Abstract

"After the gender pay gap narrows, what labor choices do men and women make? Several factors contribute to the persistence of the pay gap, such as workplace flexibility, systemic discrimination, and career costs of family. We show that how the labor market responds to the narrowing of the gap is just as pivotal for understanding this persistence. When the gender pay gap declines in a specific sector, women are relatively more likely to seek jobs in that sector, while men readjust their search to less equitable sectors. These compositional effects decrease female participation in less equitable sectors, which typically offer higher wages, reinforcing gender stereotypes and social norms that contribute to the glass ceiling. Through these effects, the same forces that reduce the gender pay gap at the bottom of the pay distribution also contribute to the persistence of gender inequities at the top. This self-reinforcing cycle underscores the need for reforms that are cross-sectoral and comprehensive to effectively achieve meaningful reductions in gender inequities across the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))