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{{Short description|Differences in remuneration amounts between men and women in the United States tech industry}}
{{Multiple issues|
The '''[[gender pay gap]] in the United States tech industry''' is the divergence in pay between men and women who work in areas such as [[software engineering]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://hired.com/wage-inequality-report|title=2018 State of Wage Inequality in the Workplace Report - Hired|website=Hired|access-date=2018-05-18|url-status=deviated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522181354/https://hired.com/wage-inequality-report|archive-date=22 May 2018}}</ref> In 2018, reports show that for every dollar the average man made, women only made 82 cents, and women from underrepresented communities earn even less.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iwpr.org/issue/employment-education-economic-change/pay-equity-discrimination/|title=Pay Equity & Discrimination|website=Institute for Women's Policy Research|access-date=2019-11-27|archive-date=2017-03-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307120756/http://iwpr.org/issue/employment-education-economic-change/pay-equity-discrimination/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite applying for the same jobs at the same companies, women receive job offers that pay less than their male counterparts 63% of the time.<ref name=":4" /> The gap does not affect women of all races equally, and discourages women, specifically those that are underrepresented minorities, from continuing to pursue opportunities in the technology industry.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":10" /> The wage gap in the tech industry is a result of a multitude of factors including lower initial offers and lack of negotiations.<ref name=":10">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/paygap-discrimination/492965/|title=What Gender Pay-Gap Statistics Aren't Capturing|last=Lam|first=Bourree|date=2016-07-27|work=The Atlantic|access-date=2018-05-18|language=en-US}}</ref>
{{cleanup|reason=Needs stronger (academic) sourcing, also potential editing for tone|date=June 2018}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2018}}
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{{Short description|Economic situation}}
The '''[[gender pay gap]] in the United States tech industry''' is the divergence in pay between men and women who work in areas such as [[software engineering]]. Despite applying for the same jobs at the same companies, women receive job offers that pay less than their male counterparts 63% of the time.<ref name=":4" /> In 2018, reports show that for every dollar the average man made, women only made 82 cents, and women from underrepresented communities earn even less.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iwpr.org/issue/employment-education-economic-change/pay-equity-discrimination/|title=Pay Equity & Discrimination|website=Institute for Women's Policy Research|access-date=2019-11-27|archive-date=2017-03-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307120756/http://iwpr.org/issue/employment-education-economic-change/pay-equity-discrimination/|url-status=dead}}</ref> State legislatures have begun to take action to solve the gender pay gap with California leading the way, following Iceland's example.<ref name=":9">{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/networth/article/New-law-bans-California-employers-from-asking-12274431.php|title=New law bans California employers from asking applicants their prior salary|work=SFGate|access-date=2018-06-06}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/03/575403863/companies-in-iceland-now-required-to-demonstrate-they-pay-men-women-fairly|title=Companies In Iceland Now Required To Demonstrate They Pay Men, Women Fairly|work=NPR.org|access-date=2018-05-14|language=en}}</ref> The gap does not affect women of all races equally, and discourages women, specifically those that are underrepresented minorities, from continuing to pursue opportunities in the technology industry.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":10" /> The wage gap in the tech industry is a result of a multitude of factors including lower initial offers and lack of negotiations.<ref name=":10">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/paygap-discrimination/492965/|title=What Gender Pay-Gap Statistics Aren't Capturing|last=Lam|first=Bourree|date=2016-07-27|work=The Atlantic|access-date=2018-05-18|language=en-US}}</ref> As the tech industry becomes more influential in the [[Economy of the United States|United States economy]], it will be important that firms offer equal pay for equal for equal work and be intentional in constructing applicant pools that are more representative of the population at large.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":11" /> Companies such as [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], and [[Google]] have been proactive in attempting to rectify the pay gap and have begun committing financial resources to eliminate the gap. Reports in 2019 showed the pay gap narrowed to 3% after remaining at 4% for the previous two years.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

== Statistics ==
In 2018, the job search platform Hired.com conducted market research to determine the current statistics in regards to the pay gap in the tech industry.<ref name=":4" /> Within the [[United States]], women receive salary offers less than that of men 63% of the time for tech jobs.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyatarr/2018/04/04/by-the-numbers-what-pay-inequality-looks-like-for-women-in-tech/|title=By The Numbers: What Pay Inequality Looks Like For Women In Tech|last=Tarr|first=Tanya|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en}}</ref> The distribution of offers is not equal with an average of 4% less for women than men, but some organizations offer up to 45% less.<ref name=":4" /> The pay discrepancy continues to manifest itself as careers proceed, and once women begin making less than men, it continues throughout their careers.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2017/01/22/techs-gender-pay-gap-young-women/|title=Tech's Gender Pay Gap Hits Younger Women Hardest|work=Fortune|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en}}</ref> In one survey, women often found that their male peers were paid at a higher rate. Only 19% of men surveyed discovered that someone in the same position was paid more than themselves, whereas 54% of women have had the same discovery.<ref name=":4" /> The pay gap is different across industries within the tech industry, with women in tech finance experiencing the smallest gap at 7% and women in education technology experiencing the largest gap at 10%.<ref name=":4" /> The gap is also different in the primary tech cities in the United States ([[San Francisco]], [[New York City|New York]], [[Seattle]], [[Los Angeles]], and [[Boston]]). Of the primary technology cities in the United States, women in Seattle face the largest wage gap at 11%, and women in San Francisco face the smallest gap at 8%.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://hired.com/wage-inequality-report|title=2018 State of Wage Inequality in the Workplace Report - Hired|website=Hired|access-date=2018-05-18|url-status=deviated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522181354/https://hired.com/wage-inequality-report|archive-date=22 May 2018}}</ref>


== Pay gap factors ==
== Pay gap factors ==
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Women under 25 earn 29% less than their male counterparts, but this percentage reduces to 5% for employees over the age of 50.<ref name=":6" /> The advent of the [[personal computer]] introduced additional barriers to entry for women as the marketing of personal computers was primarily directed at young boys.<ref name=":6" /> This marketing strategy led to computers being associated with men, which played a role in associating computer-based jobs with men rather than women.<ref name=":6" /> This decline in female participation led to women having fewer female role models and colleagues than their counterparts did in the past. The lack of representation also make it easier for negative stereotypes to permeate workplace cultures.<ref name=":6" />
Women under 25 earn 29% less than their male counterparts, but this percentage reduces to 5% for employees over the age of 50.<ref name=":6" /> The advent of the [[personal computer]] introduced additional barriers to entry for women as the marketing of personal computers was primarily directed at young boys.<ref name=":6" /> This marketing strategy led to computers being associated with men, which played a role in associating computer-based jobs with men rather than women.<ref name=":6" /> This decline in female participation led to women having fewer female role models and colleagues than their counterparts did in the past. The lack of representation also make it easier for negative stereotypes to permeate workplace cultures.<ref name=":6" />


Historically, women were better represented in technical industries "back when technologist jobs were considered menial, akin to typists". Emma Goldberg, a fellow at the [[University of Cambridge]] Centre for Gender Studies, points to hiring criteria developed by male executives that sidelined women as the industry became more profitable.<ref name="Goldberg2019">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/02/19/women-built-tech-industry-then-they-were-pushed-out/|title=Women built the tech industry. Then they were pushed out.|last=Goldberg|first=Emma|date=2019-02-19|work=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=2024-06-26}}</ref> Studies have also pointed to [[occupational segregation]] as a mechanism that limits access to high-paying fields and career growth within a profession.<ref name="Stanford2017">{{Cite web|url=https://gender.stanford.edu/news/finding-solutions-gender-pay-gap-tech|title=Finding solutions to the gender pay gap in tech|date=2017-06-15|website=[[Stanford University]]|access-date=2024-06-26}}</ref>
Historically, women were better represented in technical industries "back when technologist jobs were considered menial, akin to typists". Emma Goldberg, a fellow at the [[University of Cambridge]] Centre for Gender Studies, points to hiring criteria developed by male executives that sidelined women as the industry became more profitable.<ref name="Goldberg2019">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/02/19/women-built-tech-industry-then-they-were-pushed-out/|title=Women built the tech industry. Then they were pushed out.|last=Goldberg|first=Emma|date=2019-02-19|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=2024-06-26}}</ref> Studies have also pointed to [[occupational segregation]] as a mechanism that limits access to high-paying fields and career growth within a profession.<ref name="Stanford2017">{{Cite web|url=https://gender.stanford.edu/news/finding-solutions-gender-pay-gap-tech|title=Finding solutions to the gender pay gap in tech|date=2017-06-15|website=[[Stanford University]]|access-date=2024-06-26}}</ref>

Parenthood is identified as a factor. Mothers between the ages of 25 and 44 are less likely to be in the labor force, and those who are working tend to work fewer hours on average, leading to a reduction in earnings. This is identified as the [[motherhood penalty]], and links to increase in pay for fathers, which is known as the [[fatherhood bonus]].<ref name="Kochhar2023">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/03/01/the-enduring-grip-of-the-gender-pay-gap/|title=The Enduring Grip of the Gender Pay Gap|last=Kochhar|first=Rakesh|website=[[Pew Research Center]]|date=2023-03-01|access-date=2024-06-28}}</ref><ref name="Sassler2023">{{cite journal |last1=Sassler |doi-access=free |first1=Sharon |last2=Meyerhofer |first2=Pamela |date=2023-10-23 |title=Factors shaping the gender wage gap among college-educated computer science workers |journal=[[PLOS One]] |volume=18 |issue=10 |pages=e0293300 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0293300 |pmid=37903156 |pmc=10615266 }}</ref>

[[Wharton School|Wharton]] professor [[Janice Bellace]] points to "outdated American laws" as a contributing factor, pointing to debates over [[comparable worth]] in the 1980s: "the U.S. Supreme Court just basically said no [because of] the way [[Title VII]] is written. So, we have an old-fashioned statute".<ref name="Wharton2018">{{Cite web|url=https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/podcast/knowledge-at-wharton-podcast/icelands-unique-effort-ending-gender-pay-gap/|title=Could Iceland's Equal Pay Law Work in the U.S.?|website=[[Wharton School]]|date=2018-01-11|access-date=2024-06-29}}</ref>

The pay discrepancy continues to manifest itself as careers proceed, and once women begin making less than men, it continues throughout their careers.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2017/01/22/techs-gender-pay-gap-young-women/|title=Tech's Gender Pay Gap Hits Younger Women Hardest|work=Fortune|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en}}</ref> A study performed by the [[Economic Policy Institute]] further found that men with college degrees make more per hour than women with an advanced degree.<ref name="Schieder2016">{{Cite web|url=https://www.epi.org/publication/womens-work-and-the-gender-pay-gap-how-discrimination-societal-norms-and-other-forces-affect-womens-occupational-choices-and-their-pay/|title="Women's work" and the gender pay gap|last1=Schieder|first1=Jessica|last2=Gould|first2=Elise|date=2016-07-20|website=[[Economic Policy Institute]]|access-date=2024-06-29|language=en-US}}</ref>


=== Race ===
=== Race ===
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===California Fair Pay Act===
===California Fair Pay Act===
State legislatures are beginning to make strides to attempt to rectify the gender pay gap: “[[California Fair Pay Act|California passed a law in late 2017]] that no longer allows employers to ask job applicants about their prior salary. Plus, the employers must give applicants a pay range for the job they are seeking, if requested.<ref name=":9" /> As one of the states that is home to several of the world’s most influential technology companies, California has the potential to begin fixing the tech industry's gender pay gap.<ref name="Eaton2018">{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/business/sd-fi-eaton-20161212-story.html|title=Two changes to the California equal pay law coming in 2017 that all employees need to know|last=Eaton|first=Dan|work=Pomerado News|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en-US}}</ref> However, the law also states that employers are allowed to offer lower pay to different sexes if "the employer can show that any pay gap is justified by a factor other than sex, such as a system that determines pay based on quantity or quality of production or that resulted from differences in education, training or experience."<ref name="Eaton2018" /> California is attempting to make strides to rectify the gender pay gap, which will influence the technology industry, but there are gaps in the law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-california-gender-pay-gap-20170516-story.html|title=Despite efforts on equal pay, the gender salary gap in California government jobs persists|last=Mason|first=Melanie|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=16 May 2017 |access-date=2018-06-06}}</ref> Implicit biases play a role in hiring and payment decisions so the language stating that pay can be different for "training or experience" may result in women being paid less because the biases could cause their experience to be valued as less significant than their male counterparts.<ref name=":2" />
In 2016, California passed the [[California Fair Pay Act]] that prevented employers from asking job applicants about their prior salary. The act also required employers to provide a pay range for the job they are seeking upon request.<ref name=":9">{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/networth/article/New-law-bans-California-employers-from-asking-12274431.php|title=New law bans California employers from asking applicants their prior salary|work=SFGate|access-date=2018-06-06}}</ref> The law was designed to close the pay gap that existed between men and women in California at the time.<ref name="Eaton2018">{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/business/sd-fi-eaton-20161212-story.html|title=Two changes to the California equal pay law coming in 2017 that all employees need to know|last=Eaton|first=Dan|work=Pomerado News|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en-US}}</ref> After the law was passed, an additional study undertaken by the state found a pay gap of 20.5% between female and male state employees.<ref name="Mason2017">{{Cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-california-gender-pay-gap-20170516-story.html|title=Despite efforts on equal pay, the gender salary gap in California government jobs persists|last=Mason|first=Melanie|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=16 May 2017 |access-date=2018-06-06}}</ref> State assembly representative [[Jim Cooper]] criticized these discrepancies, saying: "Female chiefs of staff make less than their male counterparts that's just plain wrong".<ref name="Mason2017" />


=== Icelandic Fair Pay Act ===
=== Icelandic Fair Pay Act ===
Members of the tech industry have pointed to [[Iceland]] as an example of how to implement law that effectively pays women and men equally for the same positions in organizations. At the beginning of 2018 a law that was passed in 2017 went into place and "is believed to be the first of its kind in the world and covers bot the private and public sectors."<ref name=":3" /> Unequal pay has been illegal in Iceland since 1961, but new law shifts the proof of fair pay from employers to employees.<ref name=":3" /> Iceland has instituted laws in the past to attempt to rectify the pay gap, and despite having "the best track record on gender equality in the world," the laws had not been successful in creating equal pay for equal work.<ref name=":3" /> Companies with over 25 employees will be reviewed every three years to confirm that they are paying men and women equally for equal work, and if they are not in compliance they will receive daily fines until they have reached compliance.<ref name=":3" /> While the law is intended to fix specifically gender inequity the lawmakers believe that it can also be applied for other marginalized groups such as race and sexual orientation.<ref name=":3" />
Members of the tech industry have pointed to [[Iceland]] as an example of how to implement law that effectively pays women and men equally for the same positions in organizations. At the beginning of 2018, the new law went into place and "is believed to be the first of its kind in the world and covers both the private and public sectors."<ref name="Wagner2020">{{cite journal |last=Wagner |first=Ines |date=2020-12-14 |title=Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value? Iceland and the Equal Pay Standard |url=https://academic.oup.com/sp/article/29/2/477/6032742?login=false |journal=[[Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society]] |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=477–496 |doi=10.1093/sp/jxaa032 |access-date=2024-06-28|hdl=11250/2757551 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Unequal pay has been illegal in Iceland since 1961, but new law shifts the proof of fair pay from employers to employees.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/03/575403863/companies-in-iceland-now-required-to-demonstrate-they-pay-men-women-fairly|title=Companies In Iceland Now Required To Demonstrate They Pay Men, Women Fairly|work=NPR.org|access-date=2018-05-14|language=en}}</ref> Iceland has instituted laws in the past to attempt to rectify the pay gap, and despite having "the best track record on gender equality in the world," the laws had not been successful in creating equal pay for equal work.<ref name=":3" /> Companies with over 25 employees will be reviewed every three years to confirm that they are paying men and women equally for equal work, and if they are not in compliance they will receive daily fines until they have reached compliance.<ref name=":3" /> While the law is intended to fix specifically gender inequity the lawmakers believe that it can also be applied for other marginalized groups such as race and sexual orientation.<ref name=":3" />


== Gender-based pay disputes ==
== Gender-based pay disputes ==
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=== Google ===
=== Google ===
In 2017, a spreadsheet was distributed amongst [[Google]] employees that details the discrepancy in pay between male and female employees.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/technology/google-salaries-gender-disparity.html|title=At Google, Employee-Led Effort Finds Men Are Paid More Than Women|date=2017-09-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-05-18|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The spreadsheet details that the salary and bonuses paid out at all levels of the organization favor men.<ref name=":7" /> Tech companies have continued to garner more importance and sway in the economy of the [[Economy of the United States|United States]], but despite 'open cultures' there is a growing fear that "Silicon Valley has established itself as the boys' club of the west, just like how Wall Street has established itself as the boys' club of the East."<ref name=":7" /> The spreadsheet that circulated around Google is incomplete because it only evaluates the salaries and bonuses of 1200 employees.<ref name=":7" /> The reported pay gap led to a lawsuit filed against Google claiming that women who work as engineers, managers, sales, and early childhood education positions are systematically paid less at the company.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/15/google-spent-about-270k-to-close-pay-gaps-across-race-and-gender/|title=Google spent about $270K to close pay gaps across race and gender – TechCrunch|website=techcrunch.com|date=15 March 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref> Google has been proactive in responding to the critiques and conducted a comprehensive audit of their organization to attempt to rectify the pay gap in the company. Their internal research concluded that 228 employees were underpaid and raised their compensation, which resulted in a $270,000 cost for Google.<ref name=":8" />
In 2017, a spreadsheet was distributed amongst [[Google]] employees that detailed the discrepancy in pay between male and female employees.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/technology/google-salaries-gender-disparity.html|title=At Google, Employee-Led Effort Finds Men Are Paid More Than Women|date=2017-09-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-05-18|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Tech companies have continued to garner more importance and sway in the economy of the [[Economy of the United States|United States]], but despite 'open cultures' there is a growing fear that "Silicon Valley has established itself as the boys' club of the west, just like how Wall Street has established itself as the boys' club of the East."<ref name=":7" /> The reported pay gap led to a lawsuit filed against Google claiming that women who work as engineers, managers, sales, and early childhood education positions are systematically paid less than men at the company.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/15/google-spent-about-270k-to-close-pay-gaps-across-race-and-gender/|title=Google spent about $270K to close pay gaps across race and gender – TechCrunch|website=techcrunch.com|date=15 March 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref> Google has been proactive in responding to the critiques and conducted a comprehensive audit of their organization to attempt to rectify the pay gap in the company. Their internal research concluded that 228 employees were underpaid and raised their compensation, which resulted in a $270,000 cost for Google.<ref name=":8" />


== Skepticism ==
== Skepticism ==
There are those that believe the gender wage gap is a myth, or is a result of factors that are not discriminatory.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Skeptics of the wage gap claim that statistics are manipulated to present the data in a way that benefits the argument of a gender wage gap.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://blog.acton.org/archives/92915-yes-the-gender-wage-gap-is-still-a-myth-and-a-potentially-dangerous-one.html|title=Yes, the gender wage gap is still a myth—and a potentially dangerous one|date=2017-04-04|work=Acton Institute PowerBlog|access-date=2018-05-18|language=en-US}}</ref> Skeptics further assert that the gap is a result of women’s choice to not pursue jobs that pay the same rate as their male counterparts, which skews the data to create a bigger gap than actually exists.<ref name=":1" /> The gap is rationalized by highlighting that men choose more dangerous jobs or higher paying fields that allow for them to advance their earning potential.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/actually-the-gender-pay-gap-is-just-a-myth-2011-3#4-men-work-longer-hours-than-women-do-4|title=8 Reasons Why The "Gender Pay Gap" Is A Total Sham|work=Business Insider|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref> Research that disputes the existence of a gender pay gap also relies on the highlighting voluntary choices to show that women are earning less as a function of their lack of exploring jobs that will see them make the same as their male counterparts. Skeptics also feel it is not the job of employers to create representative hiring pools.<ref name=":0" /> Skeptics acknowledge that cities such as Los Angeles report that in tech interview candidate pools women are underrepresented by 29%,<ref name=":4" /> but believe that women may self select themselves out of certain jobs.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":1" /> The lack of representation inhibits women from earning the same salaries within organizations because they are not hired at the same rate, and when they are hired are less likely to negotiate salary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hired.com/wage-inequality-report|title=2018 State of Wage Inequality in the Workplace Report - Hired|website=Hired|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref>
Skeptics of the wage gap claim that statistics are manipulated to present the data in a way that benefits the argument of a gender wage gap.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://blog.acton.org/archives/92915-yes-the-gender-wage-gap-is-still-a-myth-and-a-potentially-dangerous-one.html|title=Yes, the gender wage gap is still a myth—and a potentially dangerous one|date=2017-04-04|work=Acton Institute PowerBlog|access-date=2018-05-18|language=en-US}}</ref> Skeptics further assert that the gap is a result of women’s choice to not pursue jobs that pay the same rate as their male counterparts, which skews the data to create a bigger gap than actually exists.<ref name=":1" /> The gap is rationalized by highlighting that men choose more dangerous jobs or higher paying fields that allow for them to advance their earning potential.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/actually-the-gender-pay-gap-is-just-a-myth-2011-3#4-men-work-longer-hours-than-women-do-4|title=8 Reasons Why The "Gender Pay Gap" Is A Total Sham|work=Business Insider|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref> Research that disputes the existence of a gender pay gap highlights the choices women might make to pursue lower-paying jobs than their male counterparts. Skeptics also feel it is not the job of employers to create representative hiring pools.<ref name=":0" /> Skeptics acknowledge that cities such as Los Angeles report that in tech interview candidate pools women are underrepresented by 29%,<ref name=":4" /> but believe that women may self select themselves out of certain jobs.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":1" /> The lack of representation inhibits women from earning the same salaries within organizations because they are not hired at the same rate, and when they are hired are less likely to negotiate salary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hired.com/wage-inequality-report|title=2018 State of Wage Inequality in the Workplace Report - Hired|website=Hired|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref> Studies performed in 2023 counter this last point, finding that "the widespread narrative that women don't ask is outdated".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2023-09-debunks-gender-pay-gap-myth.html|title=New research debunks the gender pay gap myth that 'women don't ask'|last=Blankenship|first=Lacie|website=[[Phys.org]]|date=2023-09-08|access-date=2024-06-25}}</ref>

While it has been believed that women typically don't ask for higher salary as much as men, newer studies have examined this issue, finding that "the widespread narrative that women don't ask is outdated".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2023-09-debunks-gender-pay-gap-myth.html|title=New research debunks the gender pay gap myth that 'women don't ask'|last=Blankenship|first=Lacie|website=[[Phys.org]]|date=2023-09-08|access-date=2024-06-25}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 20:50, 5 July 2024

The gender pay gap in the United States tech industry is the divergence in pay between men and women who work in areas such as software engineering.[1] In 2018, reports show that for every dollar the average man made, women only made 82 cents, and women from underrepresented communities earn even less.[2] Despite applying for the same jobs at the same companies, women receive job offers that pay less than their male counterparts 63% of the time.[1] The gap does not affect women of all races equally, and discourages women, specifically those that are underrepresented minorities, from continuing to pursue opportunities in the technology industry.[1][3] The wage gap in the tech industry is a result of a multitude of factors including lower initial offers and lack of negotiations.[3]

Pay gap factors

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Women under 25 earn 29% less than their male counterparts, but this percentage reduces to 5% for employees over the age of 50.[4] The advent of the personal computer introduced additional barriers to entry for women as the marketing of personal computers was primarily directed at young boys.[4] This marketing strategy led to computers being associated with men, which played a role in associating computer-based jobs with men rather than women.[4] This decline in female participation led to women having fewer female role models and colleagues than their counterparts did in the past. The lack of representation also make it easier for negative stereotypes to permeate workplace cultures.[4]

Historically, women were better represented in technical industries "back when technologist jobs were considered menial, akin to typists". Emma Goldberg, a fellow at the University of Cambridge Centre for Gender Studies, points to hiring criteria developed by male executives that sidelined women as the industry became more profitable.[5] Studies have also pointed to occupational segregation as a mechanism that limits access to high-paying fields and career growth within a profession.[6]

Parenthood is identified as a factor. Mothers between the ages of 25 and 44 are less likely to be in the labor force, and those who are working tend to work fewer hours on average, leading to a reduction in earnings. This is identified as the motherhood penalty, and links to increase in pay for fathers, which is known as the fatherhood bonus.[7][8]

Wharton professor Janice Bellace points to "outdated American laws" as a contributing factor, pointing to debates over comparable worth in the 1980s: "the U.S. Supreme Court just basically said no [because of] the way Title VII is written. So, we have an old-fashioned statute".[9]

The pay discrepancy continues to manifest itself as careers proceed, and once women begin making less than men, it continues throughout their careers.[4] A study performed by the Economic Policy Institute further found that men with college degrees make more per hour than women with an advanced degree.[10]

Race

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The wage gap exists for women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, but the size of the gap differs between different races.[1][11] Among white, black, Asian, and Hispanic workers, Asian men and white women compare the most favorably to white men. Black and Hispanic women have the largest gap of any of the surveyed groups, which indicates that race plays an important role in the wage gap.[1]

Currently, minorities are underrepresented in the interview process at 6%, and they receive lower salary offers.[1][11] However, Hispanic and black men still receive higher offers than their female counterparts of the same race.[1] Without considering the intersectionality of an individual, firms may correct for race or gender inequities at the expense of other circumstances.[11] Correcting just for race may perpetuate situations in which black and Hispanic men continue to make more than their female counterparts, while correcting exclusively for gender may allow white women to earn more than all groups but Asian and white men.[1] Corrections that avoid binaries can help to reduce siloed hiring practices that attempt to fix one issue at a time rather than a multifaceted approach.[1][11]

Legislation

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California Fair Pay Act

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In 2016, California passed the California Fair Pay Act that prevented employers from asking job applicants about their prior salary. The act also required employers to provide a pay range for the job they are seeking upon request.[12] The law was designed to close the pay gap that existed between men and women in California at the time.[13] After the law was passed, an additional study undertaken by the state found a pay gap of 20.5% between female and male state employees.[14] State assembly representative Jim Cooper criticized these discrepancies, saying: "Female chiefs of staff make less than their male counterparts — that's just plain wrong".[14]

Icelandic Fair Pay Act

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Members of the tech industry have pointed to Iceland as an example of how to implement law that effectively pays women and men equally for the same positions in organizations. At the beginning of 2018, the new law went into place and "is believed to be the first of its kind in the world and covers both the private and public sectors."[15] Unequal pay has been illegal in Iceland since 1961, but new law shifts the proof of fair pay from employers to employees.[16] Iceland has instituted laws in the past to attempt to rectify the pay gap, and despite having "the best track record on gender equality in the world," the laws had not been successful in creating equal pay for equal work.[16] Companies with over 25 employees will be reviewed every three years to confirm that they are paying men and women equally for equal work, and if they are not in compliance they will receive daily fines until they have reached compliance.[16] While the law is intended to fix specifically gender inequity the lawmakers believe that it can also be applied for other marginalized groups such as race and sexual orientation.[16]

Gender-based pay disputes

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Google

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In 2017, a spreadsheet was distributed amongst Google employees that detailed the discrepancy in pay between male and female employees.[17] Tech companies have continued to garner more importance and sway in the economy of the United States, but despite 'open cultures' there is a growing fear that "Silicon Valley has established itself as the boys' club of the west, just like how Wall Street has established itself as the boys' club of the East."[17] The reported pay gap led to a lawsuit filed against Google claiming that women who work as engineers, managers, sales, and early childhood education positions are systematically paid less than men at the company.[18] Google has been proactive in responding to the critiques and conducted a comprehensive audit of their organization to attempt to rectify the pay gap in the company. Their internal research concluded that 228 employees were underpaid and raised their compensation, which resulted in a $270,000 cost for Google.[18]

Skepticism

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Skeptics of the wage gap claim that statistics are manipulated to present the data in a way that benefits the argument of a gender wage gap.[19] Skeptics further assert that the gap is a result of women’s choice to not pursue jobs that pay the same rate as their male counterparts, which skews the data to create a bigger gap than actually exists.[20] The gap is rationalized by highlighting that men choose more dangerous jobs or higher paying fields that allow for them to advance their earning potential.[20] Research that disputes the existence of a gender pay gap highlights the choices women might make to pursue lower-paying jobs than their male counterparts. Skeptics also feel it is not the job of employers to create representative hiring pools.[19] Skeptics acknowledge that cities such as Los Angeles report that in tech interview candidate pools women are underrepresented by 29%,[1] but believe that women may self select themselves out of certain jobs.[3][20] The lack of representation inhibits women from earning the same salaries within organizations because they are not hired at the same rate, and when they are hired are less likely to negotiate salary.[21] Studies performed in 2023 counter this last point, finding that "the widespread narrative that women don't ask is outdated".[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2018 State of Wage Inequality in the Workplace Report - Hired". Hired. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  2. ^ "Pay Equity & Discrimination". Institute for Women's Policy Research. Archived from the original on 2017-03-07. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
  3. ^ a b c Lam, Bourree (2016-07-27). "What Gender Pay-Gap Statistics Aren't Capturing". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Tech's Gender Pay Gap Hits Younger Women Hardest". Fortune. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  5. ^ Goldberg, Emma (2019-02-19). "Women built the tech industry. Then they were pushed out". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  6. ^ "Finding solutions to the gender pay gap in tech". Stanford University. 2017-06-15. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  7. ^ Kochhar, Rakesh (2023-03-01). "The Enduring Grip of the Gender Pay Gap". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  8. ^ Sassler, Sharon; Meyerhofer, Pamela (2023-10-23). "Factors shaping the gender wage gap among college-educated computer science workers". PLOS One. 18 (10): e0293300. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0293300. PMC 10615266. PMID 37903156.
  9. ^ "Could Iceland's Equal Pay Law Work in the U.S.?". Wharton School. 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  10. ^ Schieder, Jessica; Gould, Elise (2016-07-20). ""Women's work" and the gender pay gap". Economic Policy Institute. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  11. ^ a b c d Carter, Shawn M. (2017-09-28). "Tech pays some of the highest salaries in the US—there's just one problem". CNBC. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  12. ^ "New law bans California employers from asking applicants their prior salary". SFGate. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  13. ^ Eaton, Dan. "Two changes to the California equal pay law coming in 2017 that all employees need to know". Pomerado News. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  14. ^ a b Mason, Melanie (16 May 2017). "Despite efforts on equal pay, the gender salary gap in California government jobs persists". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  15. ^ Wagner, Ines (2020-12-14). "Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value? Iceland and the Equal Pay Standard". Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society. 29 (2): 477–496. doi:10.1093/sp/jxaa032. hdl:11250/2757551. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  16. ^ a b c d "Companies In Iceland Now Required To Demonstrate They Pay Men, Women Fairly". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  17. ^ a b "At Google, Employee-Led Effort Finds Men Are Paid More Than Women". The New York Times. 2017-09-08. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  18. ^ a b "Google spent about $270K to close pay gaps across race and gender – TechCrunch". techcrunch.com. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  19. ^ a b "Yes, the gender wage gap is still a myth—and a potentially dangerous one". Acton Institute PowerBlog. 2017-04-04. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  20. ^ a b c "8 Reasons Why The "Gender Pay Gap" Is A Total Sham". Business Insider. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  21. ^ "2018 State of Wage Inequality in the Workplace Report - Hired". Hired. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  22. ^ Blankenship, Lacie (2023-09-08). "New research debunks the gender pay gap myth that 'women don't ask'". Phys.org. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
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