Observed differences in quit rates of men and women have little value in explaining the wage gap between the sexes. It is hypothesised that because men and women quit for different reasons, employers believe the quit rate differential to be greater than it is. This hypothesis is substantiated by inter views with personnel directors; the results indicate that they significantly under estimate the quit rate of their male employees and over-estimate the quit rate of their female employees. If employers act on these inaccurate assessments, they are likely to discriminate against women when making decisions about hiring, training and promoting their staff.
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