Women Workplace Discrimination

Underpriced labor is unlikely to occur in a relatively free market In a capitalist economy, firms seek to increase their profits. Thus we can expect them to try to take advantage of underpriced goods or services that can increase their profits. Thus, since the US is relatively free market, it would be perplexing that profit-seeking businesses would not try to take advantage of this since it is a well known “fact”. This can be best summarized s the efficient market hypothesis, that prices reflect information and it is difficult for businesses to find undervalued prices they can profit from. Studies have confirmed the efficient market hypothesis. In a contest between monkeys throwing darts at stocks and investment experts, the experts were only able to win 61 of the 100 contests [1], a small gain considering these are people professionally look for gains. So then what’s going on than if female labor is underpriced, it’s a well established “fact”, and businesses are not taking advantage of this potential profit? The answer is that this established “fact” is false. Women labor is not underpriced. 2. Gender gap can be explained based on non-discriminatory factors. So, if the gender gap is not due to discriminatory factors what can best explain it? Well, men and women have on net aggregate differences between one another both physically, mentally and emotionally. On average, men and women value different things which causes them to choose different jobs. For example, when comparing the wages of men and women who worked as entrepreneurs, male entrepreneurs make twice more money than females This cannot be due to discrimination since they are not working under a boss for their own pay. It was identified that for the entrepreneurs, money was the primary motivator for only 29% of women, versus 76% of men. Women prioritized flexibility, fulfillment, autonomy and safety. [2]. This translates for female employees as well. These are tradeoffs to receiving higher salaries that men take and women do not. Warren Farrell in his book “Why Men Earn More” demonstrates 25 lifestyle choices difference that men and women make that explains the pay gap. Warren Farrell used to be a champion for the women’s right movement and was board member of National Organization for Women. He championed the motto of how unfair it was that women earned less than men. However, one day he asked the question “If men earn more than women, then why not start a firm and hire all females”. He thought this was a great idea to start this firm, but then came to realize he was unlikely to first person to think of the idea. Therefore, it likely had to be something else[4]. He found the following results: -Men more likely to work in field in hard science and technology -Men more likely to work in a hazardous work environment -Men are more likely to be exposed to wind, rain, and snow -Men are more likely to work in a field where you cannot psychologically checkout (ex: corporate attorney) -Men are less likely to work a fulfilling career then a field of choice if they won the lottery -Men are more likely to work in a field that requires significant financial and emotional risks (ex: Venture capitalist and salesperson) -Men are more likely to work worst shift in worst hours (ex: midnight) -Men are more likely to work in field that requires constant updating on skills. -Men are more likely to work a subfield which increases risks exposed (ex: If a physician, work as a cardiologist as opposed to psychiatrists) -Men are more likely to work more hours -Men are more likely to have more than 20 years experience in current occupation -Men are more likely to have more than 10 years of uninterrupted experience with current employer -Men are more likely to work without vacation time. -Men are more likely to be absent less than 2 days in a year -Men are more likely to commute more than 25 miles round trip -Men are more likely to live in city not wish to live in because needed by employer -Men are more likely to travel more than 5 days per month in job -Men are more likely to work as a VP or above working at bottom line position contributing directly to companies profits or losses. -Men are more likely to work with a company or organization with 1000+ and responsibility is national. -Men are more likely to be paid on commission -Men are more likely to work in a private sector over a non-profit sector[5] Data shows that men are nearly twice as likely to have a non-fatal injury and over-3-day injury, and 119 times more likely to have a fatal injury. 3. Legislation already protections unfair discrimination in the workforce According to the Equal Pay Act of 1963 it reads as follows: “No employer having employees subject to any provisions of this section [section 206 of title 29 of the United States Code] shall discriminate, within any establishment in which such employees are employed, between employees on the basis of sex by paying wages to employees in such establishment at a rate less than the rate at which he pays wages to employees of the opposite sex in such establishment for equal work on jobs[,] the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions” It would be incredibly foolish for an employer to purposely depress wages on females and face a lawsuit. [6] 4. Studies have confirmed that unfair discrimination against women does not occur. While taking into consideration educational choices, career paths, hours worked, and experience and compare salaries women make 98% of what men do[7][8]. Warren Farrell, through his research has also shown that there are occupations where women earn more than men. Female financial analysts make 118% more than their counterpart while female sales engineers make 143% more. He also shows that Speech language, Statisticians , Advertising and Promotions Managers, and Motion Picture projectionists make more than their male counterpart. In fact there are 90 fields where women make more than men[9]. When a male and a female civil engineer both stay with their respective companies for ten years, travel and relocate equally and take the same career risks, the woman ends up making more. And among workers who have never been married and never had children, women earn 117% of what men do. There are also cities that exist where the female-male pay ratio is higher for females[10]. Research has shown that the more hours one works, the more one gets paid per hours. The difference between working 45 hours vs. 35 hours is a 100% more wage difference. The average male works 3 hours more per week, which explains 75% of the pay gap. [5] Controlling for never married or had children, education, age and hours worked earned men actually get paid only 85% of what women earn. [11] Conclusion: While there is indeed a wage-gap between males and females, this is not due to unfair discrimination. There are many others causes of this, and I have demonstrated 21 differences that cause this. Women make the tradeoff of higher salaries for greater flexibility, safety, time off and greater job satisfaction. Controlling for these variables show that women and men get paid roughly equally, and in some cases we can even find women earning more. It would simply not occur in a relatively free market for a well known pay gap to be due to discrimination because businesses would take advantage of it for profit. It is even more stupid for employers to discriminate based on gender, since there’s legislation against it. [1] . http://tinyurl.com... [2] . http://tinyurl.com... [3] . http://tinyurl.com... [4] . http://tinyurl.com... [5] . http://tinyurl.com... [6] . http://tinyurl.com... [7] . http://tinyurl.com... [8] . http://tinyurl.com... [9] . http://tinyurl.com... [10] . http://tinyurl.com... [11] . http://tinyurl.com...