Google Schools US Government About Gender Pay Gap (cnet.com)

Google wants the US government to know that it takes gender pay equity very seriously -- and is baffled by the contention that a gap exists at the tech giant. From a report: In responding to allegations lodged by the US Department of Labor that Google systematically pays its female employees less than it pays men, the search giant said in a blog post that employee gender doesn't factor into compensation decisions. Google described the process that it arrives at suggested compensation as "extremely scientific and robust," relying on the employee's role, job level and location, as well as recent performance ratings. What isn't considered in determining pay is whether the employee is male or female -- that information is masked out to those making the compensation decisions, Eileen Naughton, Google vice president for People Operations, explained in the post late Tuesday. "The analysts who calculate the suggested amounts do not have access to employees' gender data," Naughton wrote. "An employee's manager has limited discretion to adjust the suggested amount, providing they cite a legitimate adjustment rationale.

Comments

Pay gap is real, but exaggerated

[omnichad]

Most of the time pay gap statistics are brought out, they don't seem to compare apples to apples. The average female employee at company A makes less than the average male employee at Company A. And yet lower-paying office roles are predominantly sought out by female employees, which is what brings down that average if you're not comparing equivalent job titles and experience levels.

Re: Pay gap is real, but exaggerated

[Anonymous Coward]

Except google refuses to reveal statistics. All they have shown is a power point slide that says "trust us" and we are supposed to trust them? Show us the data if you have nothing to hide.

Re: Pay gap is real, but exaggerated

[meta-monkey]

And *why* should a random company show its confidential internal data?

They're applying for government contracts, which is how this whole mess got started. The government says "you have to be X fair to chicks to get contracts" and so they need to show that they are at least X fair to chicks.

Re:Pay gap is real, but exaggerated

[Baron_Yam]

>Men are dumb enough to fall into the trap of the 60-hour work week with no life balance and women seem to not be.

As a middle-aged career man, I'm marginally qualified to respond to this with authority.

I WANTED to work those hours at the expense of outside life. I ENJOYED it. A young man is full of enthusiasm and competitiveness. The chance to succeed at something I was told couldn't be done, the challenge of proving I was the best... that was worth more than my paycheque to me.

Of course I slowed down a bit with time, and now I have a nice, strong dividing line between work and personal life, but I don't regret those early years at all. They were extremely satisfying.

Maybe that's testosterone, and maybe that's why women don't have that experience as a general rule, but so what? You couldn't have made me slow down and smell the roses and even if you had, it would have LOWERED my perceived quality of life at the time.

So from some people's point of view I gave up a decade of my personal life in return for a significant career advancement. I'm OK with that.

More importantly, *any woman can choose to do the same thing*. If they don't, *that is also their right*.

Common Sense calling - Women have babies

[randomErr]

Women who do not have children get paid the same or more. But when you have to take several weeks or months off to take care of a child you slow your career. So don't have kids if you want a big pay check. If you want to have the biological and emotional fulfillment of giving birth and raising a child then realize you have to sacrifice your overall income.

Re:Common Sense calling - Women have babies

[randomErr]

I realize that. But look at this from a business's view: Jane is assigned to a 16 month project. She announces that she is pregnant. She will have several doctor's appointments. By the Medical Leave Act I can assume she will gone from 2-6 weeks minimal assuming no complication.

I now have to train someone to take up the slack while Jane is out, When Jane comes back she will not be working at 100% because of the toll on her body and new medical issues she has. Jane is going to have to come up to speed with the changes on her project. Both her and the child will need further medical time off through out the rest of their lives. If she has another child all of this time lose is compounded.

If you removes emotion and look at the issue from a reasonable and logical point of view you will see why the average a woman will get paid will never be the same as a man. An individual can easily exceed the average. But babies complicate things and distract from your career.

Life is a sacrifice. And I appreciate and celebrate women for that sacrifice.

Re:Common Sense calling - Women have babies

[Zemran]

If you look at it objectively the men are unfairly discriminated against as it would totally destroy a man's career if he took as much time off. I can speak from some experience as I was a male single parent but I went into teaching at that point as it was the only way to remain working and get the support I needed. If I had stayed in the private sector I would quite simply have been sacked.

So, what you're saying...

[computational super]

... is that the so-called "gender pay gap" is actually due to life decisions, not rampant sexism?