Working women in Britain have taken a one-two punch this week. A day after a report by Citizens Advice showed that British women who take maternity leave face an increasing amount of discrimination, another study revealed that there’s been little progress on the gender pay gap.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies found that the pay gap between men and women with high qualifications has stayed the same for 20 years. Women who’ve earned degrees make 20% less than men with the same qualifications. In addition, the study showed that the gap between the sexes gets bigger once women have children. To narrow the discrepancy, the U.K. government has introduced new rules, such as one that forces companies with at least 250 employees to publish pay differences between the sexes.
But together, this week’s reports highlight the challenge that PM Theresa May faces following her pledge to oversee a Britain that works “for every one of us.” May, who mentioned the gender pay gap in her very first statement as prime minister, can’t get on this one fast enough.