Can We Talk About Pay Discrimination/Equal Pay/Strategic Compensation Practices? An Exploratory Study on Framing Gender Pay Inequity

Abstract

Situated within the public will and political will framework, this paper explores frames to address the social issue of gender pay inequity. Specifically, the authors examine whether demographic characteristics affect perceived acceptability of different frames describing gender pay inequity and perceptions of this social issue. First, the authors identified 26 terms used to discuss gender pay inequity; this list was narrowed to 12, representing four categories. Next, the authors solicited sentiment reactions to those frames and perceptions of gender pay inequity. Taken together, the results indicated that although respondents had consistently positive reactions to the frames fair pay, equal pay, and pay fairness, perceptions varied across demographic groups. The biggest effects were consistently for political party-related variables. One frame, strategic compensation practices, emerged as a value-neutral frame that could potentially be used to reframe the issue and re-engage business and political stakeholders who do not perceive gender pay inequity as problematic.

Analysis of Gender Inequality in the Labor Market and Its Adaptation to the Conditions of Kazakhstan

“…Analysing various previous studies revealed that almost all reasons for an unequal distribution of incomes for male and female employees are derived from discrimination basics (Raile et al, 2023). As highlighted above, employers consider women, even with the same skills and characteristics as men, less qualified for specific positions or deserve to be promoted by the career ladder (Raile et al, 2023). In this regard, female workers are viewed differently based on certain stereotypes, prejudices, and opinions.…”

“…In this regard, female workers are viewed differently based on certain stereotypes, prejudices, and opinions. It is possible to mention at least four types of gender pay discrimination, such as stereotyping, taste-based, statistical, and normative discrimination (Raile et al, 2023). See Figure 2 for types of gender pay discrimination.…”