Date: Thursday, 24 April 2008
Venue: Malone House, Barnett Demesne, Belfast
Time: 12.00 pm - 2.30 pm
Series: Spring 2008

Abstract of Talk

Two particular features of the position of women in the British labour market are the extensive role of part-time work and the large part-time pay penalty. Part-time work features most prominently when women are in their 30s, the peak childcare years and, particularly for more educated women, a crucial period for career building. This makes it essential to understand its impact on women's subsequent earnings trajectories. The research findings indicate that the wage return to part-time experience is low - neglible in lower skill occupations. Even more important channels contributing to the pay disadvantage of women working part-time are job changing, particularly when this involves occupational downgrading. Downgrading can lead to a permanent pay disadvantage for women following a spell in part-time work

Biographical Outline

Mary Gregory is Fellow and Tutor in Economics at St Hilda’s College and the Department of Economics, Oxford University. She holds an MA degree from the University of Glasgow and a D.Phil from Oxford. She has previously held positions at Glasgow University and the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, London, and has been a visiting academic at the Australian National University, Canberra; University of California at Berkeley; Sophia University, Tokyo; University of Cape Town. She is a founder member of the European Low Wage Employment Network LoWER, a past editor of Oxford Economic Papers and Council member of the Royal Economic Society. She has been a consultant for the European Commission, OECD, World Bank, and UK Department of Employment.  Her current research is focussed on women in the labour market.  For further information on her research and publications please visit her homepage: 

http://www.economics.ox.ac.uk/index.php/staff/gregory/

There is no fee for attending the seminar, but pre-registration is required.  As numbers are restricted bookings will be confirmed on a first come basis.  The seminar will be preceded by a buffet lunch.

To register contact:

Anne McCullough
Tel: 028 9072 7352
email:a.mccullough@erini.ac.uk