Work Experience, Age, and Gender Discrimination
In: Social science quarterly, Volume 64, Issue 1, p. 66-84
ISSN: 0038-4941
Three consecutive waves (1967-1969) of interview data collected in the US National Longitudinal Surveys of the labor market experiences of young people are used to show that if work experience is measured by the formula "age - schooling - six (five)," returns in hourly wages to work experience appear to be much larger for Ms than Fs. Most economists interpret this finding as the result of training & job experience. However, if work experience is measured independently of age & schooling, Fs & Ms have about the same rate of return to a full-time equivalent month of work experience. The gap between Fs' & Ms' wages increases because of age, not work experience. Young Ms are paid more as they age because of age; young Fs are not. 4 Tables, 32 References. Modified HA.