Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 has now been replaced by the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

http://www.wgea.gov.au/default.asp

Gender Pay Inequality

Social Worker? Woman? Why are you being paid $900 less?

Posted on Jan 24, 2013 12:28 PM | Permalink

Social Worker? Woman? Why are you being paid $900 less?

We’ve reported previously on the widespread gender pay inequality in Australia, and particularly on how big that pay gap is for jobs in the community sector.

While part of the reason for this is that community sector jobs – jobs in social work, mental health, counselling, caring and related fields – have historically been paid less than similar roles in other industries, that’s not the whole story.

A recent report from Graduate Careers Australia shows that for male and female university graduates going into community jobs like social work, there’s a gender pay gap from the moment they start work. The report found that on average, the difference in starting salary for social work graduates is up to $900 more for males.

That’s $900 more than you that someone could be earning, with the same qualifications, just because of their gender!

The news gets worse for the graduate jobs in general – a study of the report released by the Australian government's Workplace Gender Equality Agency goes on to highlight that the median gap in starting annual salaries between male and female graduates increased from $2000 in 2011 to $5000 last year.

The study examined graduate starting salaries in 23 occupations and found that men earned more than women in 13 fields. The pay was the same in education, humanities and medicine.

Women graduates earned more in seven occupations, including pharmacy, earth and computer sciences. But these gaps were generally far smaller than occupations that favoured men.

Whether it’s $5,000, $900 or even $1, earning more money for the same qualifications due to gender alone is inexcusable.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency research executive manager, Carla Harris, agreed that there was no adequate explanation for the difference in salaries.

''There's absolutely no logical reason why a male graduate would be seen as better than a female graduate,'' she said.

Dr Harris said all organisations should review their starting salaries to ensure they were fair. ''We need to fix the culture and embedded discrimination within our companies.''

What are your thoughts? Have you experienced unequal pay as a graduate due to your gender? Let us know!

http://www.ethicaljobs.com.au/blog/social-worker-woman-why-are-you-being-paid-900-less