Wage Gap Persists as “Baby Bonus” for Men Contrasts with โฃIncome Halving for New Mothers
AMSTERDAM – A new analysis reveals a significant โฃdisparity โคin the financial impact of parenthood on men โand women in the netherlands, withโ mothers experiencing an โขaverage income drop โof 35 percent in the six years following the birth of theirโ first child, while fathers often benefitโข from a “baby bonus” linked to employerโ perceptions. The findings underscore how deeply ingrained prejudices contribute to the persistent wage gap between genders, even as a new European directive aimed at โขsalary transparencyโ faces resistance from Dutch employers.
According toโ research โฃhighlightedโค byโ Professor โขDidi van โขder Straaten, men perceived as fulfilling the role of “responsible breadwinner” are often โfavored by employers. This contrasts sharply with the financial setbacks faced by mothersโ returning to โwork. โขCompanies are frequently unaware of theseโ biases, with three-quarters believing the pay gap doesn’t affect them,โ despite โevidence showing 85 percent of companiesโ do exhibit a payโฃ gap.
Next year, a โEuropean directive will mandate salary transparency across the EU, though implementation in the Netherlands has been โdelayedโฃ until โJanuary 2027. Employers’ organization VNO-NCW argues โthe law is โoverlyโค complex and places โขundue burden โon businesses regardingโข payroll maintenance and reporting. Chairman Ingrid Thijssen stated, “You are putting the โcart before the horseโข by pouring out such a monstrosityโข of a lawโ on employers.”
However, the โฃFNV union dismisses these concerns as a delaying tactic, asserting employersโ are resisting transparency because โคit will โnecessitate equal pay โfor โwomen. “Employers obviously knowโ exactly who they pay what,” said Ilze Smit,equal pay projectโ leader at FNV. “Theyโ make it โcomplex โขbecause it โฃwill cost them money to reward women equally.”
Van der Straaten also challenges VNO-NCW’s claims, pointing to โprosperous implementation in โBelgium and the availability of tools for โขsalary analysis at universities. โThe new โฃdirectiveโฃ requires employers to addressโ pay differencesโข exceeding โ5 percent, aโฃ prospect that โขappears to be causing anxiety among some businesses.โ “Without this law we โฃwill not make any progress,” Van der Straaten warned.