Gender Earnings Gap in France: Analysis Shows Stagnation Due to Part-Time Work
Analysis reveals part-time work significantly contributes to the persistent gender earnings gap in France.
Key Points
- • Women in France earn 30% less than men over their lifetime.
- • Part-time work accounts for nearly 80% of the gender earnings gap.
- • The EU Pay-Transparency Directive has revealed a 12% hourly wage gap.
- • Policy proposals include enhancing transparency and expanding childcare access.
A new analysis highlights that while France has made progress in narrowing the gender lifetime earnings gap, significant challenges remain. Women in France still earn approximately 30% less than men over their careers, with the gap primarily attributed to a rise in part-time employment among women since the 1980s. This situation underscores that nearly 80% of the gender earnings gap results from variations in working time, emphasizing how job type impacts income inequality.
The recent study examined administrative payroll tax records from 1967 to 2019 and found that the current hourly wage gap sits at around 12% as gender pay issues come under increased scrutiny, particularly following the EU's Pay-Transparency Directive. Though women have made incremental earnings gains, these have largely been within part-time positions, which do not substantially aid in closing the gender earnings divide.
Interestingly, the research points out a U-shaped distribution of the gender earnings gap within France, contrasting with the J-shape seen in the US, reflecting differences in wage-setting mechanisms and firm-specific wage premiums. Centralized wage-setting in France may provide advantages for women at the lower end of the wage distribution.
To tackle these persistent inequalities, the study authors recommend policies aimed at enhancing pay transparency, increasing access to affordable childcare, and shifting towards individual taxation to better support women pursuing full-time roles. Implementing these measures could significantly reduce the lifetime gender earnings gap in France.