A recent survey in Taiwan is showing that fathers make much more money on average than mothers. That’s just one of the many challenges mothers face, especially if they left the workforce to take care of their children.
The interviewer said I was too old. They wanted someone who just graduated from college.” That’s Evelyn and she’s facing discrimination due to her age. Perhaps you can’t tell, she’s almost 50 years old and she has over 10 years experience as a salesperson at department stores. She was making a respectable NT$40,000 (about US$1,400). She took three years off to take care of her child but now it’s been very hard to get back on track in her career.
She says it’s been extremely hard to find a fairly good job opportunity.
When asked if she regrets leaving the workforce, she says she does. But then her family needed her. She had to be with her child who was going through a rebellious stage. She’s said all this has been hard on her.
In a recent job bank survey 32% of those surveyed think their career is limited by their gender. Mothers had the highest percentage with 38%. There is a big disparity with pay as well, especially after people get married. Fathers make about NT$50,000 (nearly US$1,800) whereas mothers make about NT$34,000 (US$1,200).
1111 Job Bank Media Manager Ho Chi-shen says that many women make sacrifices for their families, such as leaving the workforce. That will affect their experience and income. She suggests that couples discuss their options, and if women do decide to leave the workforce, they should continue to upgrade their skills so it will be easier for them to find a good job when they return.