The Unfair Lot of Parents (Read: Mothers) at Work - Building Gender Balanced Business

As Statistics New Zealand reports on the widening gender wage gap, a journalist who also has to pick up his child from daycare every afternoon reflects on how much harder it is for mothers to balance work and family — and notices that women are more likely to be upset at his demand that he exit by 5 pm or not come to work when the child is sick:

• Men make 318 New Zealand dollars more a week than the 659 dollars women earn on average at full-time work. In 2006, the gap was 278 dollars.

• Even professional men earn on average 356 dollars more weekly than their female colleagues. Wider wage gaps also exist among technicians and associate professionals.

• In the highest pay group — legislators, administrators and managers — the gap is also largest, at $489.

• The corresponding gaps under age 26 are shockingly smaller: 64 dollars for professionals and 170 dollars for legislators, administrators and managers.

• “It may not be the only factor but, if journalism is any indication, childcare necessities seem to be the determining issue for this gross inequality. These people are highly paid professionals who can afford the childcare. The issue here is not money but time. … If you have children, you simply cannot put in the hours that well-remunerated jobs demand.”

The Business Day column