U of G researchers to explore economic gender divide
With the increase of female graduates in today’s post-secondary schools, analyzing how the “glass ceiling” affects women’s incomes in a 21st century economy context is more important than ever before.
Miana Plesca, Associate Professor at the Department of Econmics and Finance at the University of Guelph, has been awarded a grant of $22, 000 from Ontario’s Pay Equity Office to study this phenomenon and its role in Ontario. Plesca will work with computer science Adjunct {rofessor Luiza Antonie and PhD student Jennifer Weng.
Plesca’s study will analyze not only the male-female wage gap in Ontario in comparison to other provinces, but also how the educational system affects this difference. Plesca and her research team will analyze whether or not the glass ceiling applies to highly educated women.
In a press release published by the University of Guelph, Plesca states that fertility and career interruptions are main factors contributing to the wage gap. Policies that encourage paternity leave and improve work-life balance might reduce the gender wage gap.
Although Ontario’s wage gap is getting smaller, other provinces have narrowed in a faster rate.
“We are investigating which part of the wage distribution is responsible for this relative deterioration,” said Plesca
With the use of the Sunshine List – a list of the public sector employees who earnsover $100, 000 or more per year – Plesca’s research team will aim to draw out whether there is a glass ceiling to top earning women.
The team will also examine if the introduction of the Sunshine List has actually helped to shrink the gender gap. It is generally believed that the information provided by the List has been used to negotiate wages.
What does this mean for graduates that want to work in the private sector? In 2011, the Canadian Union of Public Employees found that a difference of about 0.05 per cent between public and private sector wages exist – in favour of the public sector.
“We’ll tackle the public/private sector differences as one of the main contributions,” Plesca told The Ontarion.
The study aims to raise public awareness overall and bring the gender wage gap to the forefront. Ultimately, the findings of this study will work to determine policy actions with the Pay Equity Commission that will create an impact.