Does Part-Time Employment Widen the Gender Wage Gap? Evidence from Twelve European Countries

Working Paper 2013-293

Abstract

One of five workers work part-time in Europe, mainly women. This article examines the extent to which the overrepresentation of women in part-time employment explains the gender hourly earnings gap in twelve European countries. Using the EU-SILC 2009 data, a double decomposition of the gender wage gap is implemented: between men and women employed full-time and between full-time and part-time working women. The high prevalence of part-time employment plays only a minor role. The nature of part-time employment and labor market segregation are much more important factors. A large share of the gender wage gap still remains unexplained, however.

Authors: Eleonora Matteazzi , Ariane Pailhé
, Anne Solaz.