There is a well-known and unacceptable fact that women in the US workforce earn significantly less than men even though they perform the same job. One of the most famously quoted statistics is that a woman earns $0.82 on the dollar for every dollar that a man earns. At the same time, it is important to take a look at some of the other key statistics that highlight the gender disparity that still exists in the US public sector. By educating everyone on the disparities that still exist, it is possible to provide better opportunities for women everywhere.
In Most Countries, There Are More Women in the Public Sector Than in the Private Sector
Globally, the public sector has a higher percentage of female employees when compared to the private sector. The statistics show that there are about 41 percent of women who work in the public sector whereas 38 percent of women work in the private sector. Even though both sectors see more men working in them than women, the public sector tends to be more friendly to women than the private sector. As a result, the public sector appears to be doing better than the private sector when it comes to gender equality and parity.
The Gender Pay Gap Is Lower in the Public Sector Than in the Private Sector
As highlighted at the top of this article, there is a significant pay gap between women and men even though they work the same job. In the public sector, this pay gap is significantly lower. Furthermore, the numbers show that a woman earns, on average, 86 cents on the dollar in the public sector for every dollar that a man earns. In contrast, this number is 76 cents on the dollar and the private sector. Clearly, there is greater gender equality for women and the public sector. This is because greater efforts have been made to limit the scope of wage discrimination in the public sector, leading to a smaller pay gap. This could be one of the reasons why there are more women in the public sector when compared to the private sector.
Women Are Still Underrepresented at the Top of the Public Sector
Even though women tend to do better in the public sector than the private sector when it comes to wage and job discrimination, women are still severely under-represented at the top of the public sector. Women occupy about 30 percent of the senior positions in the public sector. At the same time, they represent close to half of all of the clerical positions. In order to achieve greater gender equality for women in the public sector, they need to be placed in positions of power. Until women are at the top making decisions, it is going to be difficult to improve the lives of women everywhere in either the public or the private sector.
Gender Disparity Is Still Present in the Public Sector in the United States
Clearly, the public sector is doing better than the private sector when it comes to wage discrimination and job discrimination against women. At the same time, these numbers show that there is still a long way to go. Therefore, the public sector needs to do better. What happens in the public sector often precedes what happens in the private sector. With this in mind, if the public sector continues to take the lead and eliminating wage and job discrimination, the private sector is going to follow suit. That way, more doors can be open for women everywhere, leading to more equality in the workplace.
