Gender Pay Gap in French Public Administration: An Application of a Novel Three-Step Approach of Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition with Fixed Effect Model

Abstract

This work aims at estimating the gender pay gap within the French ministries. Previous results have brought into the debate evidence of significant gender wage differential, both in terms of payments and career paths. Using the data provided by two ministries of the French public service from 2012 to 2016 and employing a novel three-step approach of Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition with a fixed effect model, this article suggests that a 8% gender pay gap against women exists in the allocation of indemnities, which is equivalent to approximately 751€ per annum for an average female employee. The gap varies substantially among the different categories of occupation, suggesting the allocation mechanism may be far from systematic or centrally managed. Moreover, we do not observe any expanding or diminishing trend in our five-year panel.