Women working in the financial sector get paid substantially less than men, a survey by a recruitment firm suggested today.
The pay gap between the sexes can be as much as €20,000, according to research by Robert Half Finance & Accounting; it found the average salary for male finance professionals is €62,320 compared with only €42,690 for women.
Data from the 2006 Ireland Salary Survey also found women lose out on benefits, with more than half of them dissatisfied with their current pay package.
The bonus potential for men is €13,570, but for women this figure is only €6,550 more than €7,000 less. Some 52 per cent of women surveyed said they are not happy with their current salary and benefits package.
The poll showed that the benefits Irish financial workers are most likely to receive are a pension (55 per cent), bonus (46 per cent) and healthcare (41 per cent). However, men are much more likely to receive a pension (60 per cent compared with 48 per cent) or a bonus (51 per cent compared with 39 per cent) than women.
Ken Harbourne, branch manager of Robert Half Finance & Accounting in Dublin, said the research suggested there is inadvertent discrimination in salaries.
PA