American women earn half of men's income, says new study

(Reuters) – In the United States, women earned about half of men's income over a 15-year period, taking into account paid leave to care for family or children, according to a report released Wednesday, according to which the pay gap was far larger than was generally assumed.

In a women's income review from 2001 to 2015, the Washington-based Institute for Women's Policy Research found that women's income was 51% lower than men's, which includes lost.

"There has been much debate as to whether the commonly quoted wage gap measure, namely that women earn 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man, is an exaggeration because of professional differences or so-called "Women's choice", Heidi Hartmann, Heidi Hartmann. Chairman of the institute and co-author of the study, said in a statement.

"But our analysis shows that we underestimate the magnitude of wage inequality in the labor market," Hartmann said.

The study "Still a labor market for men" showed that the wage gap has narrowed since 1968. Inflation-adjusted women's income reached $ 29,000 on average for the period 2001-2015, against $ 14,000 between 1968 and 1982.

But women are almost twice as likely as men to be out of work for at least a year, and they pay a heavy price. The study reveals that women who left the labor market for one year earned on average 39% less than men, during their working years.

Companies are likely to pay their employees less, regardless of sex, if they leave their job at any given time. But the study found that women are more often affected by this pay cut because they are more likely to be absent.

According to the study, through paid family leave, sick leave and affordable child care, women are more likely to stay in the job market and earn higher wages.

(This story corrects to show that women's income was 51% lower than men's and not 49% in paragraph 2)