Of Mommy Tracks and Glass Ceilings

Data from a 1989 survey of over 600 middle‐level managers in a large Canadian corporation were analysed to examine the characteristics of jobs held by career‐family and career‐primary men and women. Hypotheses were developed based on human capital theory, statistical discrimination theory, and gender role congruence theory. Examining career outcomes suggested that participation in household labour had a significantly more negative association with men's hierarchical level than with women's. Implications for theory and suggestions for research are discussed.