Women still face pay gap

| 28/07/2009

(CNS): Despite the fact that more women than men in the Cayman Islands have a college or university education they are still earning less than their male colleagues in the work place. Among the many revelations in the latest Labour Force Survey produced by the Economics and Statistics Office, is the fact that women continue to suffer inequality in pay even in the same professional groups as men.  Acording to the report which was conducted in the fall of last year more than 46.6% of women in the Caymanian workforce have been to college or university compared to 36.7% of men.  However, even though the work force is almost equally balanced among the sexes it is not balanced when it comes to earnings.

In the highest earning bracket on the island (those earning over $7,200 per month) men out number women by more than two to one and in the second highest (between $4800-7199) there are 2189 men and only 1944 women. There are almost four times as many women in the lowest earning bracket (less than $799 per month) than men and almost twice as many women in the second lowest earning bracket ($800-1599 per month).

Women throughout the western world are still battling to earn the same as their male counterparts and the disparity in pay is often considered to be down to the fact that women are more likely to be in part time work then men. In Cayman the part time workforce is dominated by women, out of 2126 workers who are considered part time employees 1247 of them are female. However, according to this latest survey women still work on average just under 41 hours per week compared to the male average of just under 43 hours.

The pay gap is even more evident between the sexes with regards the professional occupations while 62% of workers in the financial services sector are women, one  of the highest earning industries, women are dominating in lower paid positions in that profession.

Of the more than 1550 men earning $7200 per month or more almost all of them worked in professions described as Legislators, Senior Officials & Managers Professionals Technicians & Associate Professionals. Only 754 women in the same professions were in the higher earning bracket and most fell into the medium range salary brackets. Of the 6631 men working in senior professional occupations almost half, (3277) were in the top two earning brackets. In comparison in the same professional categories there were 7209 women but only around 35% (2467) of women were in the top two earning brackets.

The gender pay gap is seen by professionals as one of the many reasons why women tend to be poorer than men. In the recent National Assessment of Living Conditions researchers found that in the country’s lowest quintile, the poorest people in the community, conditions for women were worsethan men.

Despite various committees established to look into gender affairs the Legislative Assembly has yet to pass legislation to give domestic application to the UN Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Among Women, although it has been talked about for several years.

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  1. Young.KY.female says:

    No, I didn’t get the scholarship from an employer and I’m sorry I’m wasting a few minutes of free lunch hour at work to browse this site to comment and not review completely my statements.  I left school already and am not looking to write you a detailed paper on my credentials. The grades and community work is to prove my deserving qualities for the scholarship, not my degree.  Now get back to work… I’m sure you’re the overpaid male the rest of these posters are complaining about (sarcasm is my specialty, so we can play that game too). My depression comes from the amount of time you took to pick apart, italicize and make bold all of your comments when a simple shaking of your head would do. 

  2. the spelin natzi says:

    Demfarkin boo-stairds pessting mi ohf agin!  

    I sed it befour – dis posting is fer eye-deas, knot spelin.  Don bee pikin on no body, or da spelin natzi gon come doun on u.  

    U knot a nice dude anonimus dude.  Loosin up fool, and stop pik’n on people.

    Spelin Natzi, BA, MA, MBA, LLB, and to other ledders

  3. Anonymous says:

    to the poster of 19:13

    Yes, there are Caymanians with a sense of entitlement just as they are Expats with an ever prevailing Colonial attitude who also display a sense of entitlement, especially once landed on the Island, so I would say this is a wash out. My comment was meant to clarify why a company would be motivated to go out and go through the expense of bringing someone over and pay for a work permit. We all know that not every person on a work permit is better qualified or has a better attitude as someone who already resides the Island and is not in need of a work permit (whether they are Caymanians by birth or through granted Status). ……….and yes, why should someone who is not on a work permit not take advantage of shopping around for the best job and move on as desired? Most of the time the reason for someone to move on is because they have a better opportunity somewhere else. It is funny how this is perfectly acceptable to do in the US, Canada, Europe or anywhere else, but if Caymanians do it is is an issue. For example, how can it be that  someone gets a work permit based on "key-employee status" just to move on to another position with another firm a few months later?  

  4. Anonymous says:

    "You are contributing nothing and wasting space"  I think the poster was making a valid point in the context of this topic.  He, or she, was pointing out that the standard of written English in these posts can be shocking and if this is indicative off the product from the Cayman school system it is indicative of a significant hurdle that local children will face competing with onshore educated workers in the professional services market. 

  5. Anonymous says:

    Bring back parsing.

  6. Anonymous says:

    "Oh, I’m giving up. It is too depressing)"

    Please do; on-line discussions invite informal and preferably brief communications.  This was fine without your noise.  You are contributing nothing and wasting space.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I’m sorry to do this again but is there any Caymanian, even an ‘educated one,’ as this young lady professes to be, who can write intelligible English?


    Submitted by Young.KY.female (not verified) on Wed, 07/29/2009 – 10:41.

    Yes; (why the semi colon?) real deal. (what does that mean in this context?) I’m born & raised Caymanian.  I am 21 and have a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (with (the) help of a private scholarship I worked for, (was the private scholarship her employer or did she earn it?) so please don’t someone (anyone) now come at me (does she mean argue with me or is she fearing violence?) about being any more fortunatewith the opportunities (how can you be fortunate with opportunities? You either take them or you don’t) I was given than my peers – I have the grades and community work to prove it). (prove what? This is a sentence without a subject. If she is talking about the degree in Business Administration, her graduate certificate is the only proof required.) I understand it is mostly people who are disgruntled with their lives that (who)

    Oh, I’m giving up. It is too depressing)

  8. Realist says:

     "Fact 1. Large Law Firms or Accountancy Firms hire Expats over Caymanians because they are more easily influenced when on a work permit."

    Translation: the large law firms and accountancy firms don’t want to hire people with a sense of entitlement who will be telling them "Piss off, I’m Caymanian and my cousin at Immigration will make sure you never get another work permit if you don’t back off".  They’d rather have employees who will do their jobs, work hard and not presume to be entitled to a living because they were born here. 

    "So there is quite a bit of a  "do as I say or leave the Island"attitude going on. ………"

    No doubt that’s true, but the firms are the victims at the hands of those members of the culture of entitlement.

    • Anonymous says:

      to Realist:

      Amen Brother/Sister! You preach the truth. Now wait for the hate responses……..

  9. Anonymous says:

    Fact 1. Large Law Firms or Accountancy Firms hire Expats over Caymanians because they are more easily influenced when on a work permit. They do not want to train and invest in an employee if that employee can easily jump ship once fed up, potentially taking a lot of their client base with them. How do they get away with it? By claiming that someone from abroad has more experience or went to a "better" law school, and by having the Expat employee  sign a contract that prohibits them from working in a similiar position for a competitors for 6 months or so (which I am sure they can’t do that to a Caymanian). So there is quite a bit of a  "do as I say or leave the Island"attitude going on. ………

    Fact 2. On average, men are moving into senior management positions ahead of women because they tend to be more flexible with their working hours, travel, and the time they spend networking by golfing with the respective individuals (honestly, how many women do you know who do this?). Most men who are in high positions have a wife and a helper/nanny who can keep mens’ backs free whilst at work, looking after kids and household. How many men (honestly) do you know who are willing to do this long term for their wifes so that they can focus on their carriers? Yes, I am sure this arrangements often works out for the benefit of both spouses,,,,

    Fact 3. Being Caymanian is not a qualification. Frankly, in this day and age there is no excuse for someone not to be able to get a college education, and as such eliminiate a whole bunch of reasons and excuses why they can’t get ahead. Unfortunately, this often is only accomplished through hard work and dedication, but it can be done. Yes, in a lof of cases the qualification requirements are crap, but it is a fact that college education is required if you want to get ahead and move on up, so instead of complaining, get yourself dusted and sorted!

    Fact 4. No matter what you do and whether you do everyhing right, there is always some injustice in life. Learn how to deal with it and move on!

  10. Young.KY.female says:

    Yes; real deal. I’m born & raised Caymanian.  I am 21 and have a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (with help of a private scholarship I worked for, so please don’t someone now come at me about being any more fortunate with the opportunities I was given than my peers – I have the grades and community work to prove it).  I understand it is mostly people who are disgruntled with their lives that feel the need to post to this website but there is hope for Cayman out there.  And like a previous poster noted, being Caymanian is barely criteria for deserving a job.  We are talking about companies that handle the wellbeing of people and taking care of their finances.  Experience is key to a successful career, yes, but nothing can compare to the education required by most positions. There is a reason it is required.  Like I said before gender (and general) discrimination exists, of course, but as the article explains the pay difference is mostly because the top jobs; partners, managing directors, presidents of the large firms are held by men (and mostly foreigners) and that derives from the fact that they have the most experience and usually come from within the company from another branch outside of Cayman – where gender discrimination occurs as well allowing them to reach this deserving post.  Now hopefully that’ll change one day, but no use complaining; get off your ass and do something about your country and stop waiting for the sorry government to fix your life.

  11. Anonymous says:

    "i don’t believe that’s true because it is known that foreign national women come to cayman for jobs and receive more pay than the caymanian female or male and have less qualifications than the caymanian has."

    Your post is an embarrassment to clear thinking.  If there were a Caymanian (note the capital c) willing to do the job for that pay there would be no foreigners coming for the job.  Your protectionist law provides for that.  I sincerely doubt that Caymanians would ever take most of the jobs being filled by foreigners. My helper is away this week.  How many Caymanians want to come over and clean my bathrooms and do my laundry?  Really.  Post here saying you want that job.  Caymanians only need post.

    "The Big Name Law firms and Accounting firms are the most Discriminating companies in Cayman."

    Admit it – what is really going on here is that you have absolutely no qualifications to work in one of these places and it pisses you off to see others working their butts off and making good money doing it.  When you dropped out of school, your life became the natural consequence of that choice.  Don’t pass on blame for that choice to people who worked hard all their lives to get to the positions they now are qualified for.  "Hard work" – repeat that phrase over a few times.  It might help.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Some corrections that I hope you will find helpful.

    I don’t believe that’s true because it is known that foreign national women (‘national is redundant in this context) come to cayman (capital C) for jobs and receive more pay than the caymanian (caymanian should always be spelt with a capital C) female or male and have less(fewer) qualifications than the caymanian (capital C) has.

    The Discrimination against Caymanian Women and Caymanian Males is (neither women nor males should have capital letters) very high but it seems (that) the more you question the fact (comma) the worse it is. 

    The Big Name Law firms and Accounting firms are the most Discriminating (small d) companies in Cayman.  However (comma) they would bring in someone with less (fewer) quialifications (spelling) from there (their) country and pay them more than the Caymanian with higher qualifications. (I’d like to see some evidence for that assertion)

    So (comma) our new Government (small g) that sits in the Legislative Assembly need (needs) to rush to pass some kind of law to STOP discrimination and herrasment (spelling) in the work place.  

    STOP COVERING UP FOR THOSE THAT YOU KNOW ARE HARRASING AND DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THE CAYMANIAN PEOPLE IN THE WORK PLACE.

    Overall 1/10. Yes I’d give you a job in an instant. I’ve got an American associate on $175,000 pa I could get rid of to create an opening for someone with your skills.

  13. Young.KY.female says:

    To "I don’t believe it it true"

    While discrimination exists, don’t blame this on the sole reason for not being chosen for job placement.  It is not true that foreigners are less qualified for these positions in most circumstances.  I am Caymanian and working here in the financial sector, so don’t think that I am biased in that sense either.  I’m embarassed by how some fellow Caymanians feel they deserve a job over foreigners when they clearly are not qualified (I have worked in several HR departments and receipt of resume’s and job application forms alone need major review in Cayman and make some Caymanian applicants look incompetent – how will they be able to perform when it comes to communicating with clients/customers if they can’t make a good impression on these forms?).  The arrogance of some Caymanians needs to be calmed – of course we deserve the jobs but in several incidents whereby I’ve booked interviews with Caymanians before even looking at foreign applicants, they haven’t showed up for their appointments and fail to follow up – do you really want this job?!  So maybe you’ve gotten a job elsewhere or are no longer interested, but you know what they say about burning bridges – these managers move from firm to firm and they will forever associate your name with this disrespectful attitude (and probably pass this information on to other companies). 

    As for you bashing the big name firms..etc; these are the firms that need the most experienced personnel as they report back to a corporate office elsewhere and just because a Caymanian has worked as a secretary for 23 years does not mean he/she is qualified for a promotion if they have not been educated in these departments (unlike government where it’s a who knows who business). 
    Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen discrimination at it’s worst here and do agree that it’s impossible to escape in some companies, but really ask yourself if you’re qualified for a job without lengthy training (which costs more in time and money than the work permit of the qualified foreigner) and if you’re that concerned, talk with those hiring on why you weren’t considered or why another person was for the position instead of jumping to conclusions – this isn’t the 19th century and you’re not going to get anywhere by shouting back and forth (like MLA’s – but they’re no role models anyway).  Submit a request respectfully as to why the outcome was not in your favour.  And maybe check your own grammer/spelling before posting to this website about qualified Caymanians in the workforce.

    • Anonymous says:

      I hope Young KY Female is the genuine thing. If she is, God be praised for a sensible Caymanian poster as opposed to some of the dreadful ignorant rubbish that some of her compatriots post.

      I am a Caymanian too (sorry, just very long term paper so I guess some will stop reading here) and I lament the fact that those many Caymaniansdoing well in their jobs don’t post here or call the talk shows. As one major born C player in the legal fraternity told me, "I work hard, I don’t need to be called an Uncle Tom because I disagree with all those losers who think Cayman owes them a living because of their birth certificate."

  14. Anonymous says:

    Gender inequality is a realissue in this island – on all levels. it’s precisely why we have no educated, intelligent outspoken women in politics except for the bible thumping one.

  15. Anonymous says:

    i don’t believe that’s true because it is known that foreign national women come to cayman for jobs and receive more pay than the caymanian female or male and have less qualifications than the caymanian has. 

    The Discrimination against Caymanian Women and Caymanian Males is very high but it seems the more you question the fact the worse it is. 

    The Big Name Law firms and Accounting firms are the most Discriminating companies in Cayman.  However they would bring in someone with less quialifications from there country and pay them more than the Caymanian with higher qualifications.

    So our new Government that sits in the Legislative Assembly need to rush to pass some kind of law to STOP discrimination and herrasment in the work place.  

    STOP COVERING UP FOR THOSE THAT YOU KNOW ARE HARRASING AND DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THE CAYMANIAN PEOPLE IN THE WORK PLACE.

    • open your eyes... says:

      To ‘Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/28/2009 – 12:54.’

      You have just answered your own question. The intelligence implied by your posting does nothing to encourage the hiring of local persons. Being Caymanian is not a qualification, it is not a degree, it is not experience. You want to impress us? Take your education, your family, your life  to the US, UK, Germany, Japan or wherever, and put yourself into the highest wage bracket.

      I think not.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Alden promised many things on labour, and delivered nothing.

    Let’s hope the UDP does something for us.