Disparity, not discrimination

In 2007 women had average weekly earnings of $614 versus $766 for men. This statistic can be found at www.bls.gov/cps/wlf-databook-2008.pdf.

Hypothetically, the average could have been computed from weekly incomes of $354, $354 and $1,134 for three women and $354, $878 and $1,066 for three men. Note that while the average weekly earnings for women compute to be 80 percent of men’s, weekly earnings vary across individuals, regardless of gender, but rather according to skill level, type of job and other factors.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that white men’s earnings are 84 percent of Asian men’s and white women’s earnings are 86 percent of Asian women’s. Does this suggest that white wage earners are discriminated against based on race/ethnicity?

Finally, black and Hispanic women fare better than white and Asian women do, relative to their male counterparts. Does this suggest that white and Asian women are more subject to gender-based wage discrimination than black and Hispanic women are?

My point is: While there is a difference between the average weekly earnings of male and female, this difference is not proof of gender-based wage discrimination.

Genevieve Briand, Ph.D.

Department of Economics, Eastern Washington University

Pullman