We’re all (unfortunately) quite aware by now of the gender gap [1] that exists in the American workplace. But did you know there are also some pretty serious discrepancies among women? A new study comparing mothers to non-mothers [2] in the workplace has found that working moms are at a major disadvantage.

The study compared the perceptions [3] of two nearly identical resumes. The only real difference? One listed "member of the PTA" as an activity, while the other listed "fundraiser for the neighborhood association." To see what researchers found, .

• On average, mothers were offered $11,000 a year less than non-mothers.
• The applicants with a "mom" resume were viewed as less competent, and were less likely to be recommended for hire than non-mothers.
• Women with children were also viewed as less promotable and less committed to their jobs, and weren't as likely to be recommended for management positions.
• Non-mothers were more than twice as likely as mothers to get a call back from employers.

As icing on the cake, when the same experiments were performed with male applicants, men with children were actually viewed more favorably than those without kids. What are your thoughts on this study? Have you noticed any of these discrepancies in your own workplace?

Source [4]