‘Penalty’ of being mum $5 an hour, study finds

Salary lag shows need to examine office policy, says rights advocate

Being a mother has a huge effect on your pay packet, according to new earnings figures showing Kiwi mums earn almost 20 per cent less than dads.

Statistics New Zealand says mums earn on average about $23.40 an hour. Dads earn $28.30 an hour — a “motherhood penalty” difference of almost $5 an hour.

The pay gap between women and men without dependent children is 5 per cent.

“The difference between the 17 per cent gap in what mothers and fathers earn, and the 5 per cent pay gap between men and women without children, is significant,” said Statistics NZ insights manager Stephen Oakley.

However, the statistics show that despite the pay gap between mothers and fathers, on average parents do make more than childless men and women.

A dependent child is aged under 15, or under 18 who is not working full-time.

“We found that parents generally get paid more than nonparents,” Oakley said.

Mothers with dependent children earn more than $23 an hour on average, almost $1 an hour more than men and $2 an hour more than women without children.

According to international studies, mothers may get paid less than fathers because many women spend time caring for children, which interrupts full-time paid work.

Past New Zealand research suggests the effects of having children on a mum’s pay rate may reflect breaks from work and reduced work experience.

Overseas research notes there is also potential for employers to discriminate against mothers, knowingly or not.

Equal employment opportunities commissioner for the Human Rights Commission, Dr Jackie Blue said the report is an excellent example of why workplaces need to be looking to address what has caused the gender pay gap.

“Several studies [show] the gender pay gap rises markedly when women take on caring responsibilities. For women, it is virtually impossible to recover any ground they lose while taking on caring re-