Discrimination in Promotions of Belgian Women

Nick Deschacht

ES Navorsingsdag18 september 2009

18-09-2009 2ES Navorsingsdag 2009

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Starting-Point: Few Women at the Top

Share of women per wage decile(real gross hourly wages, PSBH 1994-2002)

Wage decile

Sh

are

of

wo

men

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Mechanisms

MENMEN WOMENWOMEN

Few women at the top because of : • promotion obstacles• outflow of women• …

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Measuring Discrimination in Promotions

*wp : the promotion probability

women would have in the absence of discrimination

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Measuring Discrimination in Promotions

Logistic Regression Model:

Obstacle Ratio =

*w

w

p

p

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The Glass Ceiling

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Discrimination in Belgium?

• PSBH-data (1994-2002): N=4,933

• Wage promotion: 15% increase in 1 year

• Control variables:Experience, age, education, work commitment & effort

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Discrimination in Belgium?

Wage decile

Ob

stac

le R

atio

a glass ceiling & sticky floors!

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Effect of Glass Ceiling on Wage Gap

Simulation of the wage gap with equal promotion probabilities to wage deciles d9 and d10

Wage gap:

20,8 %

15,9 %

Age

Wag

e g

ap(net monthly wages, PSBH 1992-2002)

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Pag.

Conclusions

• New measure for discrimination in promotions

• Discrimination against women exists in wage promotions in Belgium

• Glass ceiling and sticky floors

• Glass ceiling explains ¼ of the wage gap

Discrimination in Promotions of Belgian Women

Nick Deschacht

ES Navorsingsdag18 september 2009