Insurance gender pay gap widens
Women working in insurance are earning 28% less than men, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ latest employee earnings figures.
On average, men are earning almost $500 a week more than women. Men in insurance earned on average more than $1600 a week last year, while women earned around $1150.
The gender pay gap is wider – and only slightly – in two other industries, scientific and technical services, and mining.
The August 2008 figures, released last week, show the gender pay gap has actually increased from the bureau’s May 2006 statistics, when the gap was 24%.
Trish Todd, Co-Director of the Consortium for Diversity at Work at the University of WA’s Business School, told insuranceNEWS.com.au insurance is regarded as one of the big gender pay gap industries.
She says this could be related to occupational spread, with women congregated at lower levels than men.
“Also, the use of individual agreements has increased compared to collective bargaining, which could explain the increase in the gender pay gap,” Dr Todd said. “In terms of pay equity, there’s more inequity with individual agreements.”
On average, men are earning almost $500 a week more than women. Men in insurance earned on average more than $1600 a week last year, while women earned around $1150.
The gender pay gap is wider – and only slightly – in two other industries, scientific and technical services, and mining.
The August 2008 figures, released last week, show the gender pay gap has actually increased from the bureau’s May 2006 statistics, when the gap was 24%.
Trish Todd, Co-Director of the Consortium for Diversity at Work at the University of WA’s Business School, told insuranceNEWS.com.au insurance is regarded as one of the big gender pay gap industries.
She says this could be related to occupational spread, with women congregated at lower levels than men.
“Also, the use of individual agreements has increased compared to collective bargaining, which could explain the increase in the gender pay gap,” Dr Todd said. “In terms of pay equity, there’s more inequity with individual agreements.”