A recent New York Times article by Claire Cain Miller discusses research showing that mothers on the job market are less likely to be hired and, when they do get hired, are paid less than males with the same qualifications in similar jobs. Yet, fathers “are more likely to be hired than childless men, and tend to be paid more after they have children.”

The article discusses sociologist Michelle Budig‘s research showing that bias affecting fathers and mothers varies by income level: Men with high incomes see the largest pay increase for having children; mothers with low incomes experience the lowest relative earnings. The article also discusses sociologist Shelly J. Correll‘s finding that “employers rate fathers as the most desirable employees, followed by childless women, childless men and finally mothers.” In Correll’s words, “A lot of these effects really are very much due to a cultural bias against mothers.”