Gender Pay Gap in the Czech Republic
Are women being paid less than men in the Czech Republic?
You have probably heard before about the fact that generally men are being paid more than women. As much as the society is trying to convince us that there is no difference, that is not the case. The gender pay gap really does exist. And here we have to ask ourselves why.
What is gender pay gap and what are the causes for it?
The term gender pay gap refers to a situation in which there exists a difference in the amount of money received by the employee based on their gender. Such a difference is a clear indication of discrimination and inequalities in the country’s labor market and it mainly affects women.
According to the European Commission, some of the most frequent causes of the gender pay gap are the following: direct discrimination, undervaluing women’s work, segregation in the labor market, traditions and stereotypes as well as balancing work and private life.
The gender pay gap in the Czech Republic stands at 22.1% which is higher than the EU average value – 16. 3%.
But let’s take a look at the general overall earnings gap. It includes three main disadvantages that women face – lower hourly earnings, working fewer hours in paid jobs as well as lower employment rates. The general overall earnings gap in the Czech Republic stands at 41.0%. The average value for the EU is 41.1%.
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Why does the gender pay gap exist and which are the factors that contribute to it?
First, the management positions are mostly held by men. This has become a trend and a recent survey shows that on the very top positions such as CEO there are less than 4% women in the Czech Republic. Another reason for the gender pay gap is that household work and caring for relatives is mostly taken care of by women.
Men spend around 9 hours per week on unpaid care and household duties, while working women around 26 hours per week.
As a result, 1 in 3 women reduce their paid hours to part-time, while only 1 in 10 men do the same and this makes a difference when it comes to the wage they both receive, of course. Also, another aspect that plays a crucial role to the women’s hourly pay and future earnings and pensions are periods spent off the labor market. And finally, pay discrimination, while illegal, continues to contribute to the gender pay gap.
To sum it up, the gender pay gap is not a Czech phenomenon, it occurs in societies around the world. It is a complex issue that needs to be resolved since it affects half of the world’s working force.
Written by Karolina Radichkova
Sources:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/gender-pay-gap/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/gender_pay_gap/gpg_country_factsheet_cz_2015_en.pdf
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