Final answer:
In the U.S., after adjusting for pregnancy-related work absences, women earn approximately 80 cents for every dollar earned by men. This wage gap is influenced by factors such as the "motherhood penalty" and the "fatherhood bonus."
Step-by-step explanation:
In the United States, when controlling for time out of work for pregnancy, women make roughly 80 cents for every dollar a man makes. There are numerous factors that contribute to this wage gap. A major contributing factor is the "motherhood penalty," whereby women with children tend to have more career interruptions and possibly work fewer hours in order to manage household responsibilities.
These interruptions can lead to less job experience and result in lower wages compared to men who have continuous employment. Furthermore, although childless women with the same education and experience as men are paid comparably, women with families and children typically earn about 7% to 14% less than other women of similar education and work experience. In contrast, men often experience a "fatherhood bonus," earning more after having children compared to their single peers.