Marriage bars

Marriage bars were a practice adopted from the late 19th century to the 1960s restricting married women from employment in many professions, especially teaching and clerical jobs. Marriage bars did not affect employment in lower paid jobs, and therefore lowered incentives for women to acquire education.

References

• Borjas, Labor Economics, Ch 10, pag. 402, McGraw-Hill, 4th Ed.

Further information

• Marriage Bars: Discrimination Against Married Women Workers, 1920's to 1950's, by Claudia Goldin
• Celebration of the 40th anniversary of the lifting of the Marriage Bar - transcript of a speech by Lynelle Briggs in 2006, regarding the marriage bar in the Australian public service