Gender Wage Gap Occurring Among Youth Too; Canadian Girls on Average Making $3 Less Per Hour
Toronto, ON, May 1st, 2019— Women continue to earn less than men in Canada and around the world, but according to a new Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Girl Guides of Canada (GGC), Canadian girls are also earning less than boys. The nationwide poll found that in terms of full-time summer jobs in 2018, boys ages 12-18 on average earned $18.01 per hour, while girls in the same age cohort earned just $15.26 per hour – a nearly $3 difference.
The difference in average hourly wages rose to more than $6.00 among youth who worked full-time helping family, friends or neighbours (ie. an informal work setting), where boys earned $14.98 and girls just $8.67. The poll concluded that average hourly rate varied greatly by the type of work girls were doing, with those who had a full-time internship ($17.52) earning the most, and others being paid comparatively lower wages for part-time internships ($13.45), and part-time help for family, friends or neighbours ($10.78). Most Youth (both boys and girls) were presented with a wage that they were not able to negotiate (79%), while two in ten (21%) said there was room for conversation.
Despite Differences In Pay, Most Girls Satisfied With What They Got
The majority of girls (91%), were satisfied (45% very/45% somewhat with the compensation they received. Notably, at 95% nearly all boys were satisfied (52% very/43% somewhat) with their pay – a proportion significantly higher than girls.
Even among girls, there was variation in satisfaction with their pay. The proportion of girls who indicated they were very satisfied was significantly lower at 30% among girls whose annual family income is less than $40K. Further, girls who identify as Asian, Indigenous, or Black (24%) are half as likely as girls who identify as White (50%) to be very satisfied with their pay.
Certain Sectors Show Variation By Gender
The Girl Guides of Canada-commissioned poll found that many girls spent their summer of 2018 months working, interning, or volunteering. One in three worked (35%, 23% part-time/13% full-time), or helped family, friends or neighbours (31%), while one in ten (14%) volunteered, and 3% had an internship. Logically, girls ages 16 to 18 were significantly more likely to have worked full-time (22%) or part-time (35%), while younger girls reported higher proportions of part-time help to family, friends or neighbours (31%). Notably, girls who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Asian also reported significantly higher proportions of helping out family, friends or neighbours on a full-time basis – this is when compared to girls who identify as White (11% vs. 4%).
Despite differences in pay, boys (34%) and girls (35%) were equally as likely to work, and the sectors that they chose to be employed in were similar, including: food and beverage (girls 24% vs. boys 20%), retail (girls 17% vs. boys 14%), cleaning (girls 13% vs. boys 15%), camp or recreation (girls 9% vs. boys 6%), entertainment and leisure (girls 7% vs. boys 6%), clerical or office (girls 5% vs. boys 4%), online (girls 3% vs. boys 2%), and other (girls 11% vs. boys 15%). However, certain sectors showed significant variations by gender, including girls being significantly more likely to care for others (girls 28% vs. 17% of boys), while boys were significantly more likely to be working in maintenance, gardening, or grounds-keeping (boys 23% vs. 9% of girls), as well as manufacturing or construction (boys 9% vs. girls 3%).
Proportions As High As Two In Ten Experienced Sexual Harassment
Overall, girls’ experiences at their summer jobs were positive, including more than half indicating that they made friends (56%), gained skills to help in a future career (52%), or received positive feedback from their supervisor (52%). Another two in ten (17%) met a mentor.
Despite positive experiences for many, some girls experienced inappropriate behavior, including more than one in ten (13% vs. 11% of boys) who experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault while at work in the summer of 2018. This figure peaks at two in ten among older girls (19% vs. girls 12-13 5%, 14-15 9%), and those with a lower family income (23%). Sexual harassment or assault includes listening to sexual jokes, comments, or innuendo; cat-calls, whistles, or being referred to in a derogatory way; unwanted physical touching; unwanted pressure for dates or sex; and the presence of pornography in the workplace.
About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between September 5th and 17th, 2018. For this survey, a sample of 1,203 girls and boys in Canada aged 12-18 between were interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ±3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Rachel Weiss, Account Manager
Ipsos Public Affairs, Canada
+1 416 572 4453
About Ipsos
Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry. With offices in 89 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management. Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,780.5 million in 2017.
