Working mothers 'lose three per cent of their pay with each child'

Working mothers suffer a three per cent pay drop for each child they have compared with fathers and their childless female counterparts, a French study says.

Researchers at the Universite Paris-Saclay, who studied 16 years' worth of data from the private sector, found women who have children are often allocated assignments considered "less risky", making them less likely to receive promotions and bonuses and consequently become trapped in low-wage roles.

Study author Lionel Wilner called for action to address the "unfair and inefficient" wage gap, saying better on-the-job childcare and closer alignment between paternity and maternity leave would help.

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He said: "The motherhood penalty accounts for noticeable hourly wage differences following childbirth. This is both unfair and inefficient."

The gender pay gap "has become subject to fierce debate in the UK with pressure groups and campaigners regularly criticising the government for not doing enough to combat discrimination", says The Independent.

Last week, new regulations came into effect forcing all companies employing more than 250 people to publish the average salaries for the men and women who work for them.

The Fawcett Society, one of the UK's largest charities promoting women's rights, says many companies break the law by paying women less than men in an equivalent role. It also says the average gap for full-time workers is 13.9 per cent.