Psychology: Evaluation of Gender Pay Disparity in Canadian Firms

This essay provides a psychological analysis of the gender pay gap in Canada, focusing on the disparity between men's and women's salaries. It evaluates a research study based on data from Statistics Canada and The Globe and Mail, highlighting that Canadian women earn less than men, with indigenous women facing even greater disparities. The essay explores reasons for this gap, including maternity leave and negotiation differences, and assesses the research's validity and recommendations, such as discussing salaries for fair negotiation. The research maintains integrity by validating the problem with statistics and offering solutions, while also maintaining confidentiality. The essay concludes that the research on gender inequality in pay structure is valid due to its accurate measurement and supporting evidence.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Answer: 2
Topic: Gender differences in hiring or promotion
Chosen research like: https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/03/08/canada-gender-pay-
gap_n_9393924.html
According to The BBC News (2018), the majority of the large and medium
companies pay higher salary rates to men in comparison to women. The disparity popularly
known as gender pay gap represents the different hourly salaries in average earned by men
and women. The following assignment aims to evaluate a research study conducted on over
the salary disparity among men and women under Canadian perspectives. The evaluation will
be based on the references cites by the research to prove their hypothesis followed by the
valid recommendations highlighted in the research.
In response to the rising concern about the gender differences in hiring and
promotion, the HuffPost website has concentrated over poor pay structure of the Canadian
women in comparison to the men. The article written by Arti Patel, Why Canadian Women
Still Earn Less Than Men, on 2016 in HuffPost is of the opinion that the salary structure of
Canada is gender bias and tries to evaluate why women residing in Canada still earn less than
that of men. The majority of the report is based on the statistics published by Statistics
Canada for Globe and Mail. According to The Globe and Mail (2017), Canada lacks the
gender parity in workplaces. The hypothesis is proved by the statistics that the yearly earning
of Canadian women who work for full-time is 74.2 to 73.5 cents for every dollar earned by
Canadian men. The website further stated that this discrimination is more prone among the
indigenous women. The statistical evidence highlighted by HuffPost (2017) derived from The
Canadian Centre for Policy alternative and Oxfam Canada showed that full time working
aboriginal women earn 26% less in comparison to the aboriginal male while native women of

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colour earn 32% less than non-racialized men. Statistics Canada (2017), further highlighted
that there lies the sharp difference among the economic well-being of the indigenous
population. Statistics Canada (2017) also stated that there has been an increase in the
aboriginal female population during 2001 to 2006. However, this 6% growth in the Canadian
overall female population is not reflected with the increase in the rate of the salary scale. The
website of HuffPost (2017) further stated that on global scale, the gender pay gap among the
Canadian population is double that that of the global average. This statement is based on the
findings of the Catalyst Canadam who proposed that the pay gap in Canada is $8000 on an
average, which is $4000 high, then rest of the global women population.
Apart from providing the statistics behind the claim, the website also tries to explore
the reasons behind the increase in the salary disparity among the Canadian women. HuffPost
is of the opinion that there are several reasons behind why the women earn less than men.
One of the important reasons is maternity leave. Maternity leave is explain under the light
that if women take long leave, they are typically sacrificing salary and growth in wage at the
crucial time of their professional life and thereby pushing the baseline salary from the future
promotions growth. The reason highlight in the website goes in accordance with the findings
of the Budig, Misra and Boeckmann (2012), who said the maternity leave for a long span of
time decreases the percentage of appraisal at the blooming stage of career thereby causing
delay in promotion along with salary hike. HuffPost (2016) also highlighted that women are
less likely to negotiate for a significant salary hike in comparison to men and thus creating
differences.
The analysis done by HuffPost (2016) on the domain of gender inequality in wages is
aptly support to relevant statistics data. Moreover, the research also tries to erect reasons
behind its identified research problems apart from providing the evidences behind the
problem. However, the identified research problems is not support by references from

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authentic statistical data or scientific journals and this is where the research lacks it validity.
The research however, abides by the specific standards of undertaking the research like code
of ethics for objectivity along with integrity in the research. The research displays an unique
integrity in the entire research like first validating its research problem with relevant statics
followed by finding source of the problem followed by required recommendation to
overcome the problems. One of the important recommendation proposed by HuffSpot (2016)
include bridging of the gap via discussing the salary in order to understand the market
structure and thereby getting a rough picture of deserved wages and negotiating accordingly.
This recommendation is further support by a literary paper published by Blau and Kahn
(2017). The research also maintains the confidentiality via not disclosing the name of any
employees or any organization who are practicing this discrimination in the salary structure.
Thus from the above discussion it can be concluded that the research conducted by
HuffPost website (2017) about gender inequality in pay structure is valid because it truly
measures what it intended to measure along with valid evidences.

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References
Blau, F. D., & Kahn, L. M. (2017). The gender wage gap: Extent, trends, and
explanations. Journal of Economic Literature, 55(3), 789-865.
Budig, M. J., Misra, J., & Boeckmann, I. (2012). The motherhood penalty in cross-national
perspective: The importance of work–family policies and cultural attitudes. Social
Politics, 19(2), 163-193.
Patel., A., (2016). Canada's Gender Pay Gap: Why Canadian Women Still Earn Less Than
Men. HuffPost. Access date: 23rd April. Retrieved from:
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/03/08/canada-gender-pay-gap_n_9393924.html
Sattistics Canada. (2018). Female Population. Access date: 23rd April. Retrieved from:
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-503-x/2010001/article/11475-eng.htm
The BBC News., (2018). Gender pay gap: Men still earn more than women at most firms.
Access date: 23rd April. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-
43129339
The Globe and Mail Canada. (2017). Gender Equality: Who is minding the gap? Access date:
23rd April. Retrieved from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/gender-
pay-gap-a-persistent-issue-in-canada/article34210790/