Analysing the gender wage gap (GWG) using personnel records

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We use monthly personnel records of a large German company for the years 1999-2005 to analyse the gender wage gap (GWG). The unconditional GWG is 15 per cent for blue-collar and 26 per cent for white-collar workers. Different returns to entry age explain a substantial part of the GWG as well as segregation of men and women in different hierarchical levels. The relative GWG increases with increasing tenure for blue-collar but declines for white-collar workers. Taking into account the different impact of general and firm-specific human capital on white-collar and blue-collar occupation, this is consistent with theories of statistical discrimination.
Original languageEnglish
JournalLabour - Review of labour economics and industrial relations
Volume23
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)257-282
Number of pages26
ISSN1121-7081
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes