women, immigrants, and labor quality

[michael at ecst.csuchico.edu]

> But why wouldn't this be captured in education & experience measures? 
> Why a separate gender measure? Is there some "unobserved 
> characteristic," as they like to say, that makes women less 
> productive than men (and, don't such types also do the same with 
> nonwhites and whites?)?
> 

The idea of attachment is different -- maybe not valid, but different.  If
you hire a woman and believe that she is not really commited to the job --
she will be inclined to take care of children later -- you may not want to
entrust her with the same sort of responsibilities.  As a result, her time
on the job will not provide comparable experience to that of the male
worker.

Of course, the reverse side is that men do not have the same committment
to families -- which is so near and dear to the hearts of the repugs.

-- 
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu