Gender Discrimination in Wages and Employment in India: The Care Penalty
Uppal, A., Kaur, A.
A Uppal, A Kaur - Women and Work in India: Challenges, Opportunities …, 2026 - Springer
Summary
The research paper "Gender Discrimination in Wages and Employment in India: The Care Penalty" by Anupama Uppal and Amandeep Kaur, a chapter in the forthcoming 2026 book "Women and Work in India: Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives for Policy," delves into the economic consequences faced by women due to their caregiving roles. Globally, women with preschool-aged children often take less ideal employment opportunities that offer work-life balance, even if these are not the best alternatives available, largely because employers rarely provide paid parental leave or flexible work schedules. This leads to mothers or women with significant care burdens experiencing lower wages compared to those with fewer care responsibilities, a phenomenon termed the 'motherhood wage penalty'. The methodology of this study involves using Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data to empirically assess whether women workers in India are subjected to discrimination based on their care burden. The authors aim to identify the specific factors that either alleviate or intensify this care penalty. This investigation is designed to address a critical gap in existing policy research concerning women's employment and gender discrimination within the Indian labor market. Additionally, the study uniquely provides gender-differentiated effects of unpaid care on overall well-being in the Indian context, contributing valuable insights into the broader societal impacts beyond just wages. The implications drawn from this research are crucial for developing policies aimed at mitigating restrictive gender norms, improving access to durable goods, and reducing the burden of domestic chores, thereby fostering a more equitable labor market for women in India.
Key Findings
- - Women with preschool-aged children are often compelled to accept less optimal employment due to a lack of employer support like paid parental leave or flexible work schedules.
- A "motherhood wage penalty" exists, where women with greater care responsibilities tend to receive lower wages than those with lesser care burdens.
- The study utilizes PLFS data to identify the presence and influencing factors of care burden-based discrimination against women workers in India.
- The research provides gender-differentiated insights into how unpaid care affects women's well-being in India.
- Policy implications include interventions targeting restrictive gender norms, increasing access to durable goods, and reducing domestic chore burdens to enhance women's labor market participation and equity.