Getting a Job

Getting a job assesses restrictions on women’s work such as prohibitions on working at night or in certain industries. This indicator also covers laws on work-related maternity, paternity, and parental benefits and on retirement ages. Some differentiations in labor law may increase job opportunities for women, while others may limit them. Parental leave policies are generally expected to generate a more equitable division of childrearing responsibilities, giving women the same opportunities for career advancement as men. But restrictions on working hours or participation in certain industries—ostensibly designed to protect women—may end up limiting their ability to get the jobs they want. Similarly, gender-differentiated retirement ages have the potential to affect career prospects, lifetime earnings, pension benefits and retirement savings. For the first time, the report presents data on equal-pay-for-equal-work legislation, designed to improve women’s income levels.

Methodology
Topic analysis