The price of motherhood – the wage gap between women with and without children in eastern and western Germany

Abstract

"Against the background of different social role models in eastern and western Germany, this study analyses the wage gap between women with and without children. We use a comprehensive data set comprising all employees who are liable to social security contributions in Germany. We find that women with children who are in full-time employment earn lower wages than women in full-time employment without children. This wage gap is bigger in western Germany than in eastern Germany. Using the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition approach, we determine important influencing factors and the adjusted wage gap. The results of these decompositions indicate that historical differences between the social role expectations of mothers in eastern and western Germany still exist. The renunciation of traditional role models is still very important when it comes to reducing the motherhood wage penalty." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Budrich) ((en))

Cite article

Lawitzky, C. & Weyh, A. (2023): Der Preis von Mutterschaft – die Lohnlücke zwischen Frauen mit und ohne Kinder in Ost- und Westdeutschland. In: Gender, Vol. 15, No. 1, p. 119-137. DOI:10.3224/gender.v15i1.09