Between 1976 and 1986, women's gross turnover rates were about one-third higher than men's in the federal civil service. Such differences frequently are cited as a justification for preferring men for positions with high training costs or as one explanation why men earn so much more than women. Using a 1% sample of federal personnel records for 1976-86, this paper shows how misleading gross turnover rates can be. Male-female differences seem to be almost entirely due to differences in average age, salary, and length of service. Men and women in similar circumstances have very similar turnover probabilities.
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