The Fatherhood Bonus and Motherhhod Penalty: Parenthood and the Gender Pay Gap

Stefanie O'Connell uses social media to campaign against inequalities facing women in the workplace, in particular, when women show ambition and leadership qualities. A recent post raised awareness of research that found women are discriminated against when the have children and continue to work, where as men are expected to continue to work and benefit from having children. Mothers are perceived to be less committed to their job, less dependable, less authorative and more emotional (despite evidence to the contrary) so they face discrimination in being hired, in terms of starting salary they are offered and in being perceived as competent. Fathers, on the other hand, are perceived to be more committed tot heir jobs than childless men, offered higher starting salaries and held to lower expectations. This is referred to in research as the Fatherhood Bonus or Fatherhood Premium and it perpetuates the gender pay gap.