Women bridging gap
Photo: CD Bank
Women worth more
Salary gap between men, women in public service bridged. Growing numbers of women seek higher education, bring advantage for women in work place
A recent study conducted by Yuval Mezer from the Bank of Israel’s research department revealed that the gap between men and women’s salaries in public service positions has been bridged over the past 16 years.
Women in the Workplace
Survey shows only 6.6 percent of CEOs in top Israeli firms are women. More women managers take top positions in human resources, sales
According to the data, men’s average salaries in the early 90’s were between 17-20 percent higher than that of women’s. However, since 2001 there has been no difference between the salaries of men and women in public service positions.
Conversely, other reports in recent years showed that the gap between men and women’s salaries in the business world continued.
The study conducted by the Bank of Israel showed that, on average, women’s salaries increased by 27 percent since 1990, while men’s salaries only increased by five percent.
The Bank of Israel attributed this to an improvement in human resources amongst women and a decline in residual return amongst men and their supposed advantage over women due to pregnancies, maternity leaves, and child care.
Another factor which affected the gap was the legislation banning discrimination and advancing women as a result of growing numbers of the female population in higher education institutions, which leads to women entering professions with relatively high salaries.
Although in Israel men have received higher ranking positions upon entering the workforce than women in the same field, the study noted a significant improvement in the relative position of women in recent years.
