Absolutely no quibble with any of the arguments or figures put forth in this article.

But at the risk of sounding like a misogynist, there is one fact the author has overlooked.  Women of childbearing age are much more likely to take parental leave than men.  Some opt for a few more years of unpaid leave once the benefit runs out.

Many managers do not like to take the perceived risk of a key player being absent for one or more years.  It is somewhat discriminatory, but it is reality.  That perceived risk largely disappears once a woman is in her late 30s, but if she has been overlooked for promotion early in her career, she is at a disadvantage for climbing the corporate ladder.

Is it fair?  Of course not.  But it is reality.