Effects of Sexual Preferences on Earnings in the Netherlands

28 Pages Posted: 3 Sep 2001

See all articles by Erik Plug

Erik Plug

University of Amsterdam - Amsterdam School of Economics (ASE); Tinbergen Institute; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Peter H. G. Berkhout

University of Amsterdam - SEO Economic Research

Date Written: August 2001

Abstract

A small literature suggests that bisexual and homosexual workers earn less than their heterosexual fellow workers and that a discriminating labor market is partly to blame. In this paper we examine whether sexual preferences affect earnings in the beginning of working careers in the Netherlands. We find (i) that young and highly educated gay male workers earn about 3 percent less than heterosexual men; (ii) that similarly qualified lesbian workers earn about 4 percent more than their heterosexual female coworkers; (iii) that in terms of earnings, bisexual workers are more comparable to heterosexual workers; and (iv) that among homosexual workers the gender gap is not observed. From this we conclude that the Dutch labor market does not discriminate on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender in entry level jobs.

Keywords: Earnings, Sexual Preferences, Gender Differences, Discrimination

JEL Classification: J15, J16, J71

Suggested Citation

Plug, Erik and Berkhout, Peter H. G., Effects of Sexual Preferences on Earnings in the Netherlands (August 2001). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=282219 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.282219

Erik Plug (Contact Author)

University of Amsterdam - Amsterdam School of Economics (ASE) ( email )

Roetersstraat 11
1018 WB Amsterdam
Netherlands
+31 20 5254311 (Phone)
+31 20 5254310 (Fax)

Tinbergen Institute

Burg. Oudlaan 50
Rotterdam, 3062 PA
Netherlands

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Peter H. G. Berkhout

University of Amsterdam - SEO Economic Research ( email )

Roetersstraat 29
Amsterdam, 1018 WB
Netherlands

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
154
Abstract Views
1,652
Rank
346,024
PlumX Metrics