Latest news with #genderpaygap
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Health
- Fast Company
Rhode Island is the first state to provide menopause accommodations at work
Rhode Island will now provide workplace accommodations for women experiencing menopause. The groundbreaking move makes the state the first ever to mandate any accommodations related to menopause by law. Effective June 24, 2025, the state's Fair Employment Practices Act, which covers conditions relating to pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, added menopause to the list of conditions it covers. Under the amended act, reasonable accommodations for menopause or menopause-related conditions, including 'the need to manage the effects of vasomotor symptoms,' such as hot flashes (one of the most common menopause symptoms), are included. The bill, however, did not provide more detail on what reasonable accommodations look like. 'Menopause is a difficult and personal subject that has been stigmatized in this country,' Senator Lori Urso (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket), who introduced the legislation, earlier this year said in a press release. 'But it's high time we normalize it, especially for the benefit of women in the workplace.' Urso added that a lack of such protections contributes to the gender pay gap and causes women to lose leadership opportunities. Under Rhode Island's Fair Employment Practices Act, the state already required employers with at least four employees to provide accommodations for pregnant persons and conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth. At least 31 states mandate such accommodations—a number that has been rising in recent years. All 50 states must require some accommodations for lactation, too, under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In 2022, the PUMP Act expanded those protections to include more industries, like nursing, education, truck and taxi drivers, and more. However, menopause accommodations have long been overlooked. That's in spite of the fact that the normal, yet often uncomfortable, condition impacts nearly half the population. An estimated 85% of people experience symptoms such as mood swings, migraines, hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, night sweats, and more during menopause. For some, those symptoms can be severe, however, until now, no state has legally acknowledged the condition in the workplace. The ACLU of Rhode Island spoke to the importance of the proposed legislation earlier in a press release prior to its passing. 'Menopause is a natural and common phase in the lives of millions of individuals, but its impact and symptoms can have profound and long-lasting effects on a person's health and daily life,' said Madalyn McGunagle, policy associate at the Rhode Island ACLU. McGunagle continued, 'The ACLU of Rhode Island supports this bill, which would make explicit that employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees experiencing menopause, just as the law currently requires accommodations for various pregnancy-related conditions. By extending protections to those experiencing menopause, we can ensure that they are given the necessary accommodations to continue performing their jobs effectively.' Unlike the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which was written in gender neutral language and covers transgender individuals, Rhode Island's Fair Employment Practices Act does not include such language. Fast Company reached out to Senator Urso's office to clarify whether menopause accommodations will include transgender individuals but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Arab News
17-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Women in Pakistan earn 30 percent less than men, ILO finds in landmark wage gap study
ISLAMABAD: Women in wage employment in Pakistan earn nearly 30 percent less per month than men despite often having higher levels of education and working full time, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), one of the most comprehensive studies of the country's gender pay gap to date. Published in July 2025, the 'Gender Pay Gap in Pakistan: An Empirical Analysis' found that on average, women earn 25 percent less per hour and 30 percent less per month than male counterparts, 'even when they have similar qualifications and experience, and are employed in comparable roles.' 'The magnitude of the gender pay gap in Pakistan is among the highest when compared to other lower-middle-income countries,' the ILO said. The study used data from Pakistan's Labour Force Surveys from 2013 to 2021, examining hourly, monthly and annual earnings across public and private sectors, including both formal and informal employment. The authors concluded that the wage disparity is only partially explained by observable factors such as age, education, occupation and hours worked. 'The majority of the wage gap between men and women in Pakistan remains unexplained, suggesting that discrimination or other unmeasured factors may be at play,' the report said. The wage gap is also compounded by extremely low female participation in the labor force. According to the report, women account for just 13.5 percent of wage employees, despite making up nearly half the working-age population. As of 2021, the female employment rate stood at 23 percent, compared to 79 percent for men. 'The overall employment gap — defined as the difference in employment-to-population ratios between men and women — has hovered at 56 percentage points over the last decade,' the report found, adding that women face 'multiple challenges when entering, staying in, and progressing in wage employment.' In many cases, the ILO noted, women with higher levels of education still earned significantly less than men with similar or even lower qualifications, 'indicating entrenched biases in hiring and promotion decisions.' INFORMAL SECTOR The study found that the gender pay gap is widest in the informal sector, where women earn over 40 percent less per hour than men. In the formal private sector, the gap is slightly narrower, and lowest in the public sector, where wage structures are regulated and pay scales standardized. 'The informal sector, where a significant proportion of women are employed, exhibits the highest gender pay gap, primarily due to the lack of oversight, low unionization, and absence of formal wage-setting mechanisms,' the report said. The ILO also cited the impact of occupational segregation. Women are underrepresented in higher-paying roles and overrepresented in sectors such as domestic work, education, and agriculture, which are often undervalued. To address these gaps, the report outlines a number of recommendations, including expanding formal employment opportunities for women, enforcing minimum wage laws and pay transparency measures and developing gender-responsive social protection systems. It also recommends strengthening labor inspection and legal enforcement, particularly in the informal sector, and investing in sex-disaggregated data collection to better monitor wage trends and disparities. The ILO also urged Pakistan to ratify and implement international conventions on equal pay and non-discrimination, including ILO Convention No. 100 (Equal Remuneration) and No. 111 (Discrimination in Employment and Occupation). The report underscores that eliminating gender-based wage disparities is not only a matter of justice, but also critical for boosting economic productivity and household welfare. 'Addressing the gender pay gap is essential to achieving inclusive economic growth and meeting Pakistan's commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals,' the ILO concluded.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Gender pay gap revealed: England and Wales way down the league table with Belgium top
The Uefa Women's Euro 2025 football tournament enters the quarter finals stage this week as teams fight it out for a place at the final on July 27. The England team struggled against France in the opening game, but performed well against Netherlands and Wales as they look to repeat the run which enabled the Lionesses to win the trophy three years ago. They play Sweden on Thursday. But Standard Life has already found a winner for another European cup - it looked at the gender pay gaps of all 16 nations taking part at the football event. The Uefa nation that wins is Belgium – where women are paid on average 0.9 per cent less than men, data from the pensions firm and life assurance firm shows. In contrast, England and Wales are among the worst, with a gap of 13.1 per cent on discrimination on work pay. For other countries at the Union of European Football Associations tournament in Switzerland only Germany, with a gap of 14.2 per cent, and Finland, on 16.1 per cent, treat women worse than men when it comes to salaries. Belgium have already been knocked out of the tournament. But by calculating who is best at tackling gender pay discrimination in the workplace, Standard Life believes the final of the eight would be between Norway and France, with Norway winning as the country's pay gap is 4.7 per cent, compared to France, on 6.2 per cent. Although the Lionesses will hopefully be victorious against Sweden on the pitch, if they were playing gender pay gap rules, they would be unceremoniously dumped out at the quarter finals stage – as the pay gap between men and women in Sweden is much less at 7.5 per cent. Norway would beat Italy in the quarter finals, as the latter has a pay gap of 4.9 per cent, while the match between Spain, with a gap of 6.6 per cent, and Switzerland, on 12.1 per cent, would see the hosts knocked out before the semi-finals. The game between heavy weights France and Germany, would see France victorious as it has a lower pay gap between the sexes of 6.2 per cent. Patrick Thomson, head of research analysis and policy at Standard Life, says: 'Women are still losing out when it comes to having enough money saved for retirement – made worse by the inequalities of our financial systems. 'Despite often contributing a higher proportion of their income into pensions, women retire with significantly less due to their lower lifetime earnings.' League table: Belgium is the clear winner of the Euro 2025 gender wage gap - while Finland is ranked bottom Other countries already knocked out are Denmark, with a 5.4 per cent pay gap, Netherlands on 5.8 per cent, Portugal 10.0 per cent, Iceland 10.8 per cent and Poland 10.9 per cent. The figures come from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The average pay gap throughout Europe is calculated at 9.7 per cent.
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Science
- Irish Times
Study links online misogyny to lower earnings for women
Outright misogyny – not just outdated gender norms – may be an under-acknowledged force behind the US gender pay gap. So says a recent study by University of California economists Dr Molly Maloney and Dr David Neumark, who suggest overt misogyny matters more than we think. They created a misogyny index using Google Trends data. Instead of relying on attitudinal self-reports, they tracked online search rates for slurs against women, grouped into three categories: violent, manosphere and reactionary. The idea is that anonymous search behaviour reveals latent hostility that surveys may miss. Both misogyny and traditional gender norms (measured separately using national surveys) were linked to lower female earnings, but misogyny had the stronger, more direct effect. In areas with higher misogyny scores, women earned significantly less. The study suggests that even if only a small share of employers hold misogynistic views, they can still distort the job market. READ MORE Why? Because women may spend more time avoiding or escaping hostile workplaces, and settle for lower pay just to get hired. This added friction can drag down average wages, even where most employers are fair. The implication: the pay gap may be more personal than is thought, and raw hostility more damaging than we realise.
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Taking time out for children can hit your State pension: Here's how to close the gap
It's a no-brainer; the state pension is currently worth about €15,000 a year, and is one of the few welfare payments governments always try to increase in the annual budget. And yet, women still lag behind men when it comes to receiving the weekly payment at the maximum rate. This means a poorer life in retirement. 'All the inequalities women face throughout their working life, such as lower average earnings and the gender pay gap – all of that is exacerbated in older age,' says Donal Swan, women's economic equality coordinator at the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). Indeed, while the gender pay gap may be of the order of about 10 per cent, the gender pension gap remains 'stubbornly' high, at about 30 per cent. This means that the typical woman then has 30 per cent less of an income in retirement than a typical man. READ MORE [ The motherhood penalty: 'Once they're in bed, you log back on at 9pm or 10pm and work' Opens in new window ] There have been positives on the pensions front of late, such as the introduction of the long-term carer's contributions scheme, which makes it easier for those who have been caring for long periods to qualify for a state pension. It is changing, says Tony Delaney, founder and CEO of SYS Financial, who notes that participation rates of women in the workforce have increased, which has a corresponding impact on state pension coverage rates. Moreover, the Government has committed, in the recent programme for government, to introducing changes to support women who fall outside the existing schemes to qualify for a state pension. But, while such tinkering is positive, 'it doesn't deal with the complexities of women's lives' says Swan. Time to take some action then, to try to narrow this gap and ensure a brighter financial future for yourself. 1. Check your entitlement The state pension is currently paid out at a weekly rate of €289.30. This means that if you qualify for the maximum rate, and you claim it from 66 until the age of 91, it will be worth about €376,000 to you. If you don't have enough contributions, you might qualify for a non-contributory pension (paid at a top rate of €278) but this is based on a means test, so will depend on your household's income. And it might be paid at a rate substantially less than the top rate. Figures from the Department of Social Protection show that it's still primarily women who get this payment. Indeed as of June 30th, there were 58,688 female recipients of this pension, or 59 per cent of claimants, compared with 40,993 male recipients. It's clear then, that regardless of the rhythms of your working life, you need to maximise your chances of getting this payment at the top level. It's worth keeping track of how your contributions are stacking up. You can do this by requesting your record through MyWelfare . 2. Get 40 years of credits This year marks the first time that pensions can be calculated on a total contributions approach (TCA). Introduced on a phased basis, it will supercede the current averaging approach by 2034. So, if you were born after 1968 (aged 57 or less), your pension will be based on the TCA. But what will this mean? Well, in short, to qualify for a full state pension under the new regime, you will need 40 years' contributions (2,080 or more PRSI contributions). In other words, you need to be working from the age of 22 through to 62 to qualify. And, while you can get credits for periods spent in the home caring for children (through the HomeCaring Periods scheme, for example; see below), such contributions can't exceed 20 years. So, let's say you have just 20 years of contributions – then you'll qualify for 50 per cent of the maximum pension, or €144.65 a week instead of €289.30, a substantial decrease on the top rate. The NCWI would like to see the time period lowered, so that you can access the full state pension based on 30 years of contributions. 'We're hopeful we can keep pushing Government and the Department [of Finance] to keep making changes where possible, to expand people's access to this,' says Swan. 3. Make sure you get credits for time out If you take time out of the workforce (for maternity or parental leave), your employer may continue to make pension contributions on your behalf. But what happens to your state pension? When it comes to the state pension, if you're not getting paid while on leave, then you won't be paying PRSI, which means you won't be building up credits for your state pension. Under the new regime, however, parents who take time out to care for their children can keep their PRSI record intact by applying for credits under the aforementioned HomeCaring Periods Scheme. If you get maternity benefit, you will get credits automatically. However, as this ends after 26 weeks, if you take a further 16 weeks' unpaid leave you will need to get your employer to complete the application form for maternity leave credits when you return to work. When it comes to parental leave, you should also be entitled to credits – but, again, you have to make sure your employer applies for these. Parents can take up to 26 weeks of parental leave, which is typically unpaid, for each child up to the age of 12. 4. Time out is good – but get back in the workforce if you can So far so good, but complications with getting the credits can arise if you subsequently opt to take a longer period of time out of the workforce. This is because, to qualify for a state pension – even at a reduced rate – you will need at least 10 years' paid contributions, and your home caring years can't exceed 20. And to get the full pension, you will need 40 years of contributions. So then, it may make sense for many women to return to the workforce once their children are grown up, to try to meet the requirements for a state pension. 5. Think about topping up your state pension Many stay-at-home parents turn to ad hoc work to boost their income while looking after their family – running a house account on Instagram is one such route, as is running a play group or after school activity. However, while family friendly, it's important to note that such earnings may not be working towards a state pension for you. If you are self-employed and earn less than €5,000 a year, you won't be paying S-class PRSI contributions, which means that you won't be building up a State pensions record. But, you can become a voluntary contributor for €650 (up from €500 to October 2025, and from €253 until 2013). This will boost your entitlement to a state pension. The challenge here, however, as Swan notes, is that if you're already on a low income, you may not have enough money. However, you can apply to pay in quarterly or half-yearly instalments during the contribution year. And, from a household perspective, it may make financial sense to get your partner, who may be working, to make the payment. You will need to have 520 paid contributions (ie 10 years) to qualify also. You can apply online using the Voluntary Contributions Application Form (VC1) . 6. Remember you may qualify for a pension through your spouse If you are married but don't qualify for a pension in your own right, you may be entitled to get an increase on your spouse's pension, known as a 'qualified adult' pension. This is offered at a lower rate of up to €259.40 a week. However, the payment is means tested, and some women may struggle with the concept of being dependent on their partner in retirement. They may also feel that their contribution to society is not being recognised. 'It's a real remnant of the era of that male breadwinner model,' says Swan. Indeed, until as recently as 2007, the 'qualified adult' payment went straight to the person claiming the state pension, so the spouse – in most cases a woman – had to then rely on their husband to give them the money. Instead, a bit like the current basic income scheme, which is being trialled among artists, the NWCI would like to see the introduction of a universal pension. While potentially costly, last year, Social Justice Ireland said the introduction of such a scheme could be funded by reducing the higher rate of tax relief on private pensions from 40 per cent to 20 per cent, and by increasing employers PRSI by 0.5 per cent. 'It would be a significant structural change,' says Swan, who adds that the current tax relief is 'disproportionately more valuable to men'. 'The way everyone contributes to society through their life is different,' he says.
