OK, a study came out recently that debunks a theory I personally have never really believed: the persistent gender pay gap around the world comes from the fact that women are reluctant to ask for a raise. As I suspected, the study shows that women ask for more pay just as often as men do — but get raises less often.

The study, released this week by the Cass Business School in London, the University of Warwick and the University of Wisconsin, found that when comparing men and women in Australia who work similar hours, men got a raise 20 percent of the time they asked, compared with 16 percent for women. About 70 percent of men and women in the sample said they had asked for a raise. The study also examined whether women were reticent about asking for a raise out of fear of upsetting their bosses. The data suggests that not to be the case. While 14.6 percent of men said they had not tried to get a raise because they were concerned about workplace relationships, 12.9 percent of women said they had held back from asking for a raise.

What this study reveals to me is that if women are asking for more money at the same rate as men, but aren’t getting it, there is some discrimination against women in the workplace exhibited here. The study didn’t offer any solutions about how to fix this problem, however. It’s important that women continue to keep asking for raises and making our needs known.

The authors of the study did find some reason for encouragement. Women under 40 were receiving raises at a similar rate as their male colleagues. The challenge, as one the author’s said, will be watching whether the pay of those women continues to keep pace with their male colleagues as they climb to more senior ranks.

What do you think about this study, and the issue of women and equal pay? Please let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below or contacting me at mcampanelli@napco.com.