The American Academy of Pediatrics recently published a study on early and mid-career pediatricians, which looked at gender differences in work-life balance, home responsibilities, and salary. On average in the United States, women earn approximately 80 percent of what men earn in similarly situated positions. Among the 1,000 doctors in the study, women pediatricians earned approximately 76 percent of the salary earned by their male counterparts. The average salary for a pediatrician in the survey was $190,000 per year. The sample was almost evenly split between genders with 63 percent of respondents being women.
Unequal Pay and Discrimination
Unequal pay among genders is a form of gender discrimination and can be the basis for a claim against an employer under state and federal anti-discrimination laws. An attorney can provide advice about the best evidence to support an unequal pay claim should you choose to bring one against an employer.
Other aspects of this survey conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics revealed other issues facing female pediatricians outside of the workplace, which included issues concerning who is responsible for the most chores in the household. Responses to the survey found that female pediatricians were also primarily responsible for 13 out of 16 common household tasks at their own homes. These tasks included, cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning, and being the primary caretaker for their children.
Male pediatricians were overall more satisfied with their share of responsibilities at home, with 62 percent of them stating they were satisfied, while only 52 percent of women were satisfied with their share of responsibilities at home.
It may not be surprising that when it comes to childrearing, about 53 percent of female pediatricians said they had the primary responsibility for taking care of their children while only 13 percent of men said it was primarily their responsibility. The survey even asked about helping children with homework; six percent of the male respondents said that they provided most of the parental homework help for children, whereas 52 percent of the women said that they fulfilled that role at home.
Although the questions about home life do not directly point to discriminatory practices in the workplace, they can become factors that effect a woman’s ability to advance in the workplace when they feel as if they are stretched too thin. Most of the respondents in the survey reported that they were not satisfied with their ability to balance work and home life.
Chester County Employment Discrimination Lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. Help Those Suffering from Gender Discrimination
Discrimination can occur in various forms in the workplace, including unequal pay. The Chester County employment discrimination lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. can evaluate your circumstances and obtain the compensation you deserve. If you or someone you know experienced gender discrimination at work, call us at 215-569-1999 or contact us online for a free case evaluation. Located in Philadelphia, we serve clients throughout Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, northeast Philadelphia, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, and Montgomery County.
