Female workers in part time employment are now earning more than men in the same jobs, according to a Federation of European Employers (FedEE) analysis of official statistics.
Although gender equality still has a long way to go in most areas of the workplace, the data shows that when it comes to part-time work the traditional trend is reversed, with women taking home 4.8 per cent more in earnings than male part-time workers.
According to the 2011 annual survey of hours and earnings, the gap is due to the earnings of workers in the 22-39 age group.
The figures show that women now earn an average of £8.10 an hour in part-time work compared with £7.67 for men, widening the pay gap from 33p in 2010 to 43p last year.
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“This shows how the overall figures for the gender pay gap are highly misleading,” said Robin Chater, secretary-general of the FedEE.
“The size of the gap is largely because a much higher proportion of women work part-time than men and part-time earnings for both genders are lower than for full-time work. Where women compete on equal terms with men – in the part-time jobs market – they actually earn more than men.”
Speaking to the Telegraph, the Fawcett Society suggested that the pay gap could be down to the fact that more part-time roles are in the public sector where women hold a larger proportion of the jobs and where salaries are higher. State employers are also often favoured by women as they provide a more inclusive workplace for women who are juggling the demands of work and family life.
However, while the pay gap is narrowing, in full-time work male workers are still earning 11.7 per cent more than women, with full-time earnings standing at £538 and £440 for men and women respectively.
