It's Up to the Women!

Women face barriers, such as the career disruption caused by having and raising kids, and pay that's still not equal, despite years of gains. Yet women have become an economic force anyway, and policy decisions in Washington have had practically nothing to do with it. In a new book, "The Richer Sex," journalist Liza Mundy predicts that women will soon be the primary breadwinners in the majority of U.S. families, a status that suggests women will increasingly dominate decisions about how money gets spent in America, and therefore how the whole economy evolves. That's likely to happen no matter who's president. But don't tell Mitt Romney.

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Very interesting idea, but I have my doubts. I might take a peek at that book.

I am the breadwinner in our home, not through choice, but that's how it is. I am getting the education (second degree) and will then get my Master's degree, so that I can increase my income, which will better my family's situation - enabling our middle son, who wants to go into medicine, to perhaps graduate with less loan debt than he would otherwise, and enabling our younger son to do whatever he wants to do without worrying about graduate school debt.

I don't work to provide myself with luxuries or to keep up with any neighbors, that's for sure.

One in the eye for those men who would like to remove women from the workplace. Yes, they still exist.

Interesting. It's pretty much the opposite situation over this side of the Atlantic, it's women who are being hit hardest by the recession and have lost their jobs at a greater rate than men.

I see this in my "world". I wasn't sure if it was because of the area I live in....(near Silicon Valley) where many of the men's jobs were farmed-out over seas or what. We have several friends that were in construction, that have wives re-entering the work force (and even though they are applying/interviewing......aren't being hired).

The men we know that are doing especially well (even increased business the last 5 years)....are in industries I wouldn't expect to be growing right now. One (from what I understand) does the programming and design layout for integrated home theatre/sound/security systems. He's in partnership with his ex-wife. She's on one coast...and he on the other. They do business everywhere in between.

Other than the 'pay is not equal' (it IS equal for equal work) nonsense, the article is pretty much correct. Corporate America, the Academy and the government have bent over backwards to ensure that women have every educational and economic advantage for the past fifty years, so it's no surprise that women are reaping the fruits of these benefits.

That is interesting. One part of it that I see as true, is that more and more women are becoming primary breadwinners, but in most of those cases that I know of, it's due to better health as they age. For instance, my bil is on disability and can no longer work, while my sister has become a partner in the business she works for. She is also more health conscious, and I think there is a correlation between her being healthy enough to work, and her husband not working.

Women and men's pay is not equal. One only needs to do the research.

In the United States, women make roughly 77.8 cents to the dollar earned by men. Economists expect that in a free market, managers would prefer to hire less costly women workers, forcing men to compete with women on wages and balancing out the wage disparity.

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77.8c does not equal 100c. Simple, basic math.

At my workplace, there are two RN's who continue to work after retirement age. The eldest turns 80 this year (yep, 8-0) and is retiring in June. The other is 73. They are both in good health and they astonish and encourage me. The 80yo has a number of family members in poor health, and her retirement is forced by needing to look after them. The 73 is a widow. I can see me continuing to work to this age! I just strongly believe it is in my future!

Jane - a big part of that pay gap is because of the fields that tend to draw men and fields that tend to draw women. Some of the highest paying professions - engineering, outside sales - are still heavy majority men, for example. Within fields, the pay for men and women is much closer. Inside most industries, high tech engineering for example, you will not find a difference. I do not disagree that in total your statistic is correct. But it does not accurately reflect a gap where women are not paid equally for equal work. It more reflects the fields men and women are in (and a whole different discussion on why that is the case is valid).

Having said that, are there some people/companies who still have that bias and within their sphere of influence pay women less? Sure there are. And that is wrong and should be fixed.

If someone thinks that we're in the middle of an economic recovery their reading list is more than a bit on the short side, too much Kool-Aid.

If they can take credit, if it fails will they get blamed? Isn't that how it's supposed to work?

Hmm...last article I read ..admit its been about 6 months is hwo women had faired better in the first wave of our recession (less job loss) but now they are beign hit hard..I think mainly or in part lets say attributed to teachers beign laid off...and of course more women are teachers..

Dallas

I think most articles about the economy are skewed in favor of the author's bias. It seems to me that the economy is stagnating and not really getting better for anyone with the exception of maybe the automotive industry.

SPB1987 said:

I think most articles about the economy are skewed in favor of the author's bias. It seems to me that the economy is stagnating and not really getting better for anyone with the exception of maybe the automotive industry.

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In Finland.

I Art Laughing said:

In Finland.

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What?

Then, thank God I ended up in the engineering field. Starting day 3 of a cross country trek to where I will start my new job in just over a week. If we had to try to live on my husband's disability in our hometown, we'd be living under a bridge somewhere. I'll be making somewhere on the order of 4-5 times the disability check.

However, my first engineering job, I did get paid less than the guy they hired at the same time they hired me. Reason? He had a family to support (insert eye rolling here). But, that's gone now as more and more women move into the field.

And yes, once we get stuff straight, I plan to be a one-woman economic stimulus package!

SearchingStudent said:

However, my first engineering job, I did get paid less than the guy they hired at the same time they hired me. Reason? He had a family to support (insert eye rolling here). But, that's gone now as more and more women move into the field.

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That? Is illegal.

JaneFW said:

That? Is illegal.

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1963: The EPA, Section 206(d)(1), prohibits "employer ... [from] discriminat[ing] … on the basis of sex by paying wages to employees [...] at a rate less than the rate [paid] to employees of the opposite sex [...] for equal work on jobs [requiring] equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions[.]" To establish a prima facie case under the EPA, an employee must show that:

1. different wages are paid to employees of the opposite sex;
2. the employees perform substantially equal work on jobs requiring equal skill, effort and responsibility; and
3. the jobs are performed under similar working conditions.[6]

The EPA provides that the employer may not pay lower wages to employees of one gender than it pays to employees of the other gender employees within the same establishment for equal work at jobs that require equal skill, effort and responsibility, and that are performed under similar working conditions.

however, that 'family to support' thinking still exists. I heard it myself from a major employer about 8 years ago. What upset me more than hearing it was that 10 other women who heard it were NOT upset. Soooo, if you except a lower wage, that's what you'll get.

and BTW, put us in charge and we'll stop the stupid wars too.