Little bundle of joy costs mums a bundle
A new report shows mothers earn 17 per cent less than fathers in New Zealand, or almost $5 an hour less on average.
Statistics NZ data, in the Effect of Motherhood on Pay report, shows that, on average, fathers earn $28.30 an hour, while mothers make $23.40 an hour. In contrast, the pay gap between women and men without dependent children is only 5 per cent.
The negative pay consequences for women with children is internationally referred to as the ‘‘motherhood penalty’’.
The Human Rights Commission said the findings showed the need for New Zealand businesses to get serious about addressing the gender pay gap, particularly for women having children.
‘‘The results of this research are not surprising, with several studies showing that the gender pay gaps rises markedly when women take on caring responsibilities,’’ Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Jackie Blue said.
For women, it is virtually impossible to recover any ground they lose while taking on caring responsibilities.
‘‘This will continue until the culture within our workplaces changes.
‘‘Organisations need to consider whether their own policies and practices are contributing to the gap, and if they are, they need to take leadership and provide flexible work options and supportive environments for women taking on caring responsibilities.
‘‘They also need to develop policies that eliminate unconscious bias, discrimination and negative stereotypes in the workplace, if we are to close the gender pay gap.’’
The commission has previously called for changes to legislation that would require companies with more than 250 employees to publish their gender and ethnic pay gap. In view of this research, Blue said companies should also consider publishing the motherhood penalty gap.
‘‘What we can measure we can manage. For a business to close these gaps, [it] will require a forensic analysis of where the roadblocks are and implement appropriate policies.
‘‘Men also need to be encouraged to take on more child-rearing responsibilities.
‘‘Providing paid parental leave for fathers would go some way to addressing this.’’