Gender pay gap is even worse than the figures suggest | Letters

Letters

Monday, 08 Apr 2019

The methodology used to calculate the gap is itself discriminatory and underestimates the difference between women’s and men’s earnings, says Anne Ashe

Your article on the gender pay gap (Quarter of employers have gender pay gap of more than 20%, 5 April) did not highlight that the methodology used in calculating the gap is itself discriminatory and underestimates the difference between women’s and men’s earnings.

When calculating the percentage difference, the official figures use the higher (men’s) earnings as the denominator – and the Guardian repeats these figures. But if the lower (women’s) earnings were to be used as the denominator then the gap would be bigger.

For example, the difference between £80 (women) and £100 (men) is presented as women earning 20% less than men. Why not present it as men earning 25% more than women?
Anne Ashe
Sheffield

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Letters

Monday, 08 Apr 2019

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