Policy makers, academics, and media reports suggest that women could shrink the gender pay gap by negotiating more effectively for higher compensation. Yet women entering compensation negotiations face a dilemma: They have to weigh the benefits of negotiating against the social consequences of having negotiated. Research shows that women are…

This document provides an overview of research findings presented and audience response at the "state-the-science" conference conducted by Cornell University October 22-23, 2013 in Washington, D.C. on the topic of "Innovative Research on Employment Practices: Improving Employment for People with Disabilities." An overview of…

It has been hypothesized that current methods of determining pay rates value the characteristics of jobs held primarily by men differently than the characteristics of jobs held primarily by women, resulting in lower earnings for women. A policy capturing approach using numerically rated job characteristics (PAQ data) was applied separately to the…

Explored utility of adopting supply-side approach to understanding the nature of wage differentials between men and women using job applicants (N=272) as subjects. Results suggested much of the wage gap can be explained by evaluations of outcomes other than pay, and gender-related differences in expectancies, instrumentalities, and valences with…

This paper reviews some of the past literature on male-female wage differentials in order to determine the early hypotheses which are the historical roots of the current theoretical and empirical work analyzing male-female wage differentials. Part 1 reviews the discrimination hypotheses, which emphasize differences in the labor market conditions…

We analyze the female-male gap in starting-salary offers for new college graduates using data from the annual surveys of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), unique (and proprietary) data that have not previously been used for this purpose. A major advantage of working with a data set on salaries for new college graduates is…

This report presents data about compensation received by employees in Illinois' 48 public community colleges. Data are presented by peer groups with statewide totals. The seven peer groups are based on a combination of college enrollment (semester), geographic location, and financial data. These seven peer groups are described as follows: (1)…

The typical working woman is thought to make 60% of a man's wage, despite increased job skills. Facts prove this perception incorrect. Lack of progress is an artifact of changing labor market characteristics associated with the rapid growth in the numbers of women in the labor market. Low skills, low wage female entrants tend to hold down the…

Two essays address the issue of pay equity and present opinions favoring and opposing comparable-worth adjustments. Movement of women out of traditionally female jobs, the limits of "equal pay," fairness of comparable worth and market-based wages, implementation and efficiency of comparable worth system, and alternatives to comparable…

This student guide is intended to assist persons employed as supervisors in understanding various wage payment systems. Discussed in the first four sections are the following topics: the aims and determination of payment (aims of a payment system, the economy and wage levels, the government and wage levels, and method of pay and wage levels); main…

The earnings gap is the difference between the percentage ratio of women's earnings to those of men and 100 percent. In 1988, the earnings gap for hourly earnings was 26 percent; for weekly earnings, 30 percent; and for annual earnings, 34 percent. Although the direction over the past decade is toward greater equality, the pace is extremely slow.…

To examine the impact of rising wage inequality on lifetime wage growth, a study compared the wage mobility experienced by two cohorts of young white men from the National Longitudinal Surveys. The original cohort entered the labor market in the mid-1960s at the end of the economic boom and was followed through the end of the 1970s. The recent…

A study at one public university investigated the annualized rate of salary/wage increase of employees from the time of hiring until July 1992. It examined promotion patterns, equity adjustments, employee degree acquisition, and certification of clerical workers. The study underscored the wide variation in earnings growth rates due in large part…

A national study, including state-by-state breakouts, analyzed Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics data to explore the wage gap. Median weekly earnings of men and women and of minorities and nonminorities were analyzed. Gender-based earnings differences and gender wage gaps were large for all women--and especially large for minority…

A common mistake made by job seekers is to discuss salary before receiving a job offer. This paper offers two basic rules for discussing compensation: (1) Do not mention salary in an interview if the employer does not broach the subject; and (2) when negotiating a pay rate, never give the first figure. Although a job's salary is usually paramount…