Research/academic paper

Earnings and Employment Sector Choice in Kenya

“The level of participation in employment and wages paid in the labour market can be
assessed by comparing relative sectoral labour compensation amounts, participation
rates and skill distribution of the workforce. In addition, the level of participation in employment and differences in wages paid in any given sector are affected by both individual factors and sector-specific factors. The study estimates a multinomial logit model and selection-corrected earnings models to determine participation and earnings in various employment sectors. This study finds clear differences in the formal private and public employment sectors relative to the vast informal sector. Regression results confirm that education is the key determinant of both participation and wage earnings.Gender disaggregated participation and earnings models show that in contrast to men, university education has a considerable effect on women’s participation and earnings in the formal sectors. Even with its characteristic low wages,to many job seekers the informal sector is where jobs can still be found.”