Professor Melanie Jones
- Media commentator
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Melanie Jones
Head of the Economics Section, Professor of Economics
Overview
Melanie joined Cardiff Business School in 2015 having previously held positions in the University of Sheffield and Swansea University. She is currently the Head of the Economics Section and member of CARBS Management Board.
Her research in empirical labour economics involves the quantitative analysis of large scale secondary data. She has worked on a variety of policy relevant issues in collaboration with a range of external organisations including the Low Pay Commission and the Office of Manpower Economics the but has a particular interest in gender equality and the interaction between health and the labour market.
Her recent research has tried to answer questions such as Is the gender pay gap larger in the public or private sector? What can we learn from the narrow gender pay gap in Northern Ireland? Is there earnings discrimination against disabled individuals? Do older workers have more accidents and injuries at work? Do disabled individuals have a different perception of their treatment at work? She is committed to using this evidence to inform policy and practice such as through the collaboration disability@work: www.disabilityatwork.co.uk
This work has been published in high quality international journals such as Oxford Economic Papers, Economica, Economics Letters, Cambridge Journal of Economics, British Journal of Industrial Relations, Social Science and Medicine, and Work, Employment and Society.
Melanie is a member of the ESRC funded research centre WISERD, an IZA Research Fellow and lead for the ESRC Productivity Institute Wales Productivity Forum. She is an elected member of the Royal Economic Society Council and a member of the Trustee Board. She was a member of ESRC Grant Assessment Panel C (2021-2025) and is currently an editor at the British Journal of Industrial Relations and member of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration. She is also an ONS Fellow, member of their Economic Experts Working Group and the theme lead for Economic Intelligence in the Cardiff University Strategic Partnership with the ONS.
Publication
2025
- Clifton-Sprigg, J. et al., 2025. Fathers taking leave: evaluating the impact of shared parental leave in the United Kingdom. Fiscal Studies: The Journal of Applied Public Economics 46 (3), pp.399-410. (10.1111/1475-5890.70000)
- Jones, M. , Kaya, E. and Nan, J. 2025. Overeducation, earnings and job satisfaction among graduates in China. China Economic Review 93 102448. (10.1016/j.chieco.2025.102448)
2024
- Clifton-Sprigg, J. et al., 2024. Fathers taking leave: Evaluating the impact of shared parental leave in the UK. Other. Bonn, Germany: IZA Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/17076.
- Jones, M. 2024. Disability and trade union membership in the UK. British Journal of Industrial Relations 62 (1), pp.28-49. (10.1111/bjir.12767)
- Jones, M. 2024. The disability pay gap in the UK: What is the role of the public sector?. Labour Economics 91 102642. (10.1016/j.labeco.2024.102642)
- Jones, M. et al. 2024. Disability and the future of work. In: MacLeavy, J. and Pitts, F. H. eds. The Handbook for the Future of Work. Routledge International Handbooks Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. , pp.145-160. (10.4324/9781003327561-17)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2024. Is there a public sector earnings premium in UK healthcare?. Fiscal Studies: The Journal of Applied Public Economics 45 (4), pp.543-557. (10.1111/1475-5890.12380)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2024. Performance-related pay and the UK gender pay gap. Industrial Relations 63 (4), pp.512-529. (10.1111/irel.12352)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2024. The gender pay gap in medicine: Evidence from Britain. Oxford Economic Papers 76 (4), pp.1033-1051. gpad050. (10.1093/oep/gpad050)
- Jones, M. , Kaya, E. and Nan, J. 2024. Overeducation, earnings and job satisfaction among graduates in China. Other. IZA Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://docs.iza.org/dp17161.pdf.
- Jones, M. and Scott, R. 2024. Does disability affect support for political parties?. Electoral Studies: An International Journal on Voting and Electoral Systems and Strategy 92 102881. (10.1016/j.electstud.2024.102881)
2023
- Brown, S. and Jones, M. 2023. Understanding the disability voting gap in the UK. Electoral Studies 85 102674. (10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102674)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2023. The UK gender pay gap: Does firm size matter?. Economica 90 (359), pp.937-952. (10.1111/ecca.12481)
- Jones, M. and Wass, V. 2023. Organisational disability measurement and reporting in the UK. In: Beatty, J. E. , Hennekam, S. and Kulkarni, M. eds. De Gruyter Handbook of Disability and Management. De Gruyter. , pp.63-82. (10.1515/9783110743647)
- Sheveleva, L. , Jones, M. and Harris, I. 2023. It does not matter how hard you work: The importance of task allocation for worker productivity. Economics Letters 227 111115. (10.1016/j.econlet.2023.111115)
2022
- Jones, M. 2022. COVID-19 and the labour market outcomes of disabled people in the UK. Social Science & Medicine 292 114637. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114637)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. Organisational gender pay gaps in the UK: what happened post-transparency?. Other. IZA – Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/15342/organisational-gender-pay-gaps-in-the-uk-what-happened-post-transparency.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. Performance-related pay and the UK gender pay gap. Other. Global Labor Organization (GLO). Available at: https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/glodps/1211.html.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. The gender pay gap: what can we learn from Northern Ireland?. Oxford Economic Papers 74 (1), pp.94-114. (10.1093/oep/gpab017)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. The UK gender pay gap: does firm size matter?. Other. Global Labor Organization. Available at: https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/glodps/1149.html.
- Jones, M. , Kaya, E. and Papps, K. L. 2022. The ongoing impact of gender pay gap transparency legislation. Other. IZA – Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://docs.iza.org/dp15817.
- Jones, M. and McVicar, D. 2022. The dynamics of disability and benefit receipt in Britain. Oxford Economic Papers 74 (3), pp.936-957. (10.1093/oep/gpab058)
2021
- Jones, M. et al. 2021. Inequality and the economic cycle: disabled employees' experience of work during the Great Recession in Britain. British Journal of Industrial Relations 59 (3), pp.788-815. (10.1111/bjir.12577)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2021. The gender pay gap in UK medicine.
- Jones, M. and Saloniki, E. 2021. Exploring the relationship between impairment and disability in Great Britain: evidence from the life opportunities survey. Journal of Disability Policy Studies 33 (3), pp.147-157. (10.1177/10442073211021532)
2020
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2020. The gender pay gap: what can we learn from Northern Ireland?. Other. IZA – Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp13318.pdf.
- Jones, M. K. and McVicar, D. 2020. Estimating the impact of disability onset on employment. Social Science and Medicine 255 113001. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113001)
2019
2018
- Hoque, K. et al., 2018. Are high‐performance work practices (HPWPs) enabling or disabling? Exploring the relationship between selected HPWPs and work‐related disability disadvantage. Human Resource Management 57 (2), pp.499-513. (10.1002/hrm.21881)
- Jones, M. , Davies, R. and Drinkwater, S. 2018. The dynamics of disability and work in Britain. The Manchester School 86 (3), pp.279-307. (10.1111/manc.12177)
- Jones, M. , Makepeace, G. and Wass, V. 2018. The UK gender pay gap 1997-2015: what is the role of the public sector?. Industrial Relations Journal 57 (2), pp.296-319. (10.1111/irel.12208)
- Jones, M. et al. 2018. The dynamic effect of disability on work and subjective well-being. Oxford Economic Papers 70 (3), pp.635-657. (10.1093/oep/gpy006)
2016
- Davies, R. , Jones, M. and Lloyd-Williams, H. 2016. Age and work-related health: insights from the UK Labour Force Survey. British Journal of Industrial Relations 54 (1), pp.136-159. (10.1111/bjir.12059)
- Fevre, R. W. et al. 2016. Closing disability gaps at work: deficits in evidence and variations in experience. Project Report.Cardiff University.
- Jones, M. 2016. Disability and labor market outcomes. IZA World of Labour 253. (10.15185/izawol.253)
- Jones, M. K. , Latreille, P. L. and Sloane, P. J. 2016. Job anxiety, work-related psychological illness and workplace performance. British Journal of Industrial Relations 54 (4), pp.742-767. (10.1111/bjir.12159)
2015
- Baumberg, B. , Jones, M. and Wass, V. 2015. Disability prevalence and disability-related employment gaps in the UK 1998–2012: Different trends in different surveys?. Social Science and Medicine 141 , pp.72-81. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.07.012)
- Blackaby, D. et al., 2015. Is the public sector pay advantage explained by differences in work quality?. In: Felstead, A. , Gallie, D. and Green, F. eds. Unequal Britain at Work: The Evolution and Distribution of Intrinsic Job Quality. Oxford: Oxford University Press
2014
- Jones, M. et al. 2014. Disability, job mismatch, earnings and job satisfaction in Australia. Cambridge Journal of Economics 38 (5), pp.1221-1246. (10.1093/cje/beu014)
2013
- Jones, M. 2013. Disability and perceptions of work and management. British Journal of Industrial Relations 54 (1), pp.83-113. (10.1111/bjir.12043)
- Jones, M. et al. 2013. A regional analysis of flows into and out of the UK National Minimum Wage. Applied Economics 45 (21), pp.3074-3087. (10.1080/00036846.2012.695069)
- Jones, M. et al. 2013. Work-related health risks in Europe: are older workers more vulnerable?. Social Science & Medicine 88 , pp.18-29. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.03.027)
- Jones, M. and Wass, V. J. 2013. Understanding changing disability-related employment gaps in Britain 1998-2011. Work Employment and Society 27 (6), pp.982-1003. (10.1177/0950017013475372)
2012
- Jones, M. and Skilton, L. 2012. An analysis of labour market outcomes in the European Union Objective One funding area in Great Britain. Regional Studies 48 (7), pp.1194-1211. (10.1080/00343404.2012.697992)
- Jones, M. and Wass, V. 2012. Well-being and disability – new evidence of inequality. Presented at: 'Fairness at Work in Challenging Times' - FairWRC Conference Manchester Business School, Manchester, UK 6-7 September 2012.
2011
- Jones, M. 2011. Disability, employment and earnings: an examination of heterogeneity. Applied Economics 43 (8), pp.1001-1017. (10.1080/00036840802600053)
2010
- Jones, M. and Latreille, P. L. 2010. Disability and earnings: Are employer characteristics important?. Economics Letters 106 (3), pp.191-194. (10.1016/j.econlet.2009.11.017)
- Jones, M. and Sloane, P. J. 2010. Disability and skill mismatch. Economic Record 86 , pp.101-114. (10.1111/j.1475-4932.2010.00659.x)
2008
- Jones, M. 2008. Disability and the labour market: a review of the empirical evidence. Journal of Economic Studies 35 (5), pp.405-424. (10.1108/01443580810903554)
- Jones, M. and Jones, J. 2008. The labour market impact of the UK Disability Discrimination Act: evidence from the repeal of the small firm exemption. Bulletin of Economic Research 60 (3), pp.289-306. (10.1111/j.1467-8586.2008.00281.x)
- Jones, M. , Latreille, P. L. and Sloane, P. J. 2008. Crossing the tracks? Trends in the training of male and female workers in Great Britain. British Journal of Industrial Relations 46 (2), pp.268-282. (10.1111/j.1467-8543.2008.00677.x)
- Murphy, P. et al., 2008. Is there a public sector training advantage? Evidence from the Workplace Employment Relations Survey. British Journal of Industrial Relations 46 (4), pp.674-701. (10.1111/j.1467-8543.2008.00699.x)
2007
- Jones, M. 2007. Does part-time employment provide a way of accommodating a disability?. The Manchester School 75 (6), pp.695-716. (10.1111/j.1467-9957.2007.01042.x)
2006
- Jones, M. 2006. Disability, gender, and the British labour market. Oxford Economic Papers 58 (3), pp.407-449. (10.1093/oep/gpl004)
- Jones, M. 2006. Is there employment discrimination against the disabled?. Economics Letters 92 (1), pp.32-37. (10.1016/j.econlet.2006.01.008)
Articles
- Baumberg, B. , Jones, M. and Wass, V. 2015. Disability prevalence and disability-related employment gaps in the UK 1998–2012: Different trends in different surveys?. Social Science and Medicine 141 , pp.72-81. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.07.012)
- Brown, S. and Jones, M. 2023. Understanding the disability voting gap in the UK. Electoral Studies 85 102674. (10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102674)
- Clifton-Sprigg, J. et al., 2025. Fathers taking leave: evaluating the impact of shared parental leave in the United Kingdom. Fiscal Studies: The Journal of Applied Public Economics 46 (3), pp.399-410. (10.1111/1475-5890.70000)
- Davies, R. , Jones, M. and Lloyd-Williams, H. 2016. Age and work-related health: insights from the UK Labour Force Survey. British Journal of Industrial Relations 54 (1), pp.136-159. (10.1111/bjir.12059)
- Hoque, K. et al., 2018. Are high‐performance work practices (HPWPs) enabling or disabling? Exploring the relationship between selected HPWPs and work‐related disability disadvantage. Human Resource Management 57 (2), pp.499-513. (10.1002/hrm.21881)
- Jones, M. 2022. COVID-19 and the labour market outcomes of disabled people in the UK. Social Science & Medicine 292 114637. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114637)
- Jones, M. 2016. Disability and labor market outcomes. IZA World of Labour 253. (10.15185/izawol.253)
- Jones, M. 2013. Disability and perceptions of work and management. British Journal of Industrial Relations 54 (1), pp.83-113. (10.1111/bjir.12043)
- Jones, M. 2008. Disability and the labour market: a review of the empirical evidence. Journal of Economic Studies 35 (5), pp.405-424. (10.1108/01443580810903554)
- Jones, M. 2024. Disability and trade union membership in the UK. British Journal of Industrial Relations 62 (1), pp.28-49. (10.1111/bjir.12767)
- Jones, M. 2011. Disability, employment and earnings: an examination of heterogeneity. Applied Economics 43 (8), pp.1001-1017. (10.1080/00036840802600053)
- Jones, M. 2006. Disability, gender, and the British labour market. Oxford Economic Papers 58 (3), pp.407-449. (10.1093/oep/gpl004)
- Jones, M. 2007. Does part-time employment provide a way of accommodating a disability?. The Manchester School 75 (6), pp.695-716. (10.1111/j.1467-9957.2007.01042.x)
- Jones, M. 2006. Is there employment discrimination against the disabled?. Economics Letters 92 (1), pp.32-37. (10.1016/j.econlet.2006.01.008)
- Jones, M. 2024. The disability pay gap in the UK: What is the role of the public sector?. Labour Economics 91 102642. (10.1016/j.labeco.2024.102642)
- Jones, M. , Davies, R. and Drinkwater, S. 2018. The dynamics of disability and work in Britain. The Manchester School 86 (3), pp.279-307. (10.1111/manc.12177)
- Jones, M. et al. 2021. Inequality and the economic cycle: disabled employees' experience of work during the Great Recession in Britain. British Journal of Industrial Relations 59 (3), pp.788-815. (10.1111/bjir.12577)
- Jones, M. and Jones, J. 2008. The labour market impact of the UK Disability Discrimination Act: evidence from the repeal of the small firm exemption. Bulletin of Economic Research 60 (3), pp.289-306. (10.1111/j.1467-8586.2008.00281.x)
- Jones, M. et al. 2013. A regional analysis of flows into and out of the UK National Minimum Wage. Applied Economics 45 (21), pp.3074-3087. (10.1080/00036846.2012.695069)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2024. Is there a public sector earnings premium in UK healthcare?. Fiscal Studies: The Journal of Applied Public Economics 45 (4), pp.543-557. (10.1111/1475-5890.12380)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2024. Performance-related pay and the UK gender pay gap. Industrial Relations 63 (4), pp.512-529. (10.1111/irel.12352)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2024. The gender pay gap in medicine: Evidence from Britain. Oxford Economic Papers 76 (4), pp.1033-1051. gpad050. (10.1093/oep/gpad050)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. The gender pay gap: what can we learn from Northern Ireland?. Oxford Economic Papers 74 (1), pp.94-114. (10.1093/oep/gpab017)
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2023. The UK gender pay gap: Does firm size matter?. Economica 90 (359), pp.937-952. (10.1111/ecca.12481)
- Jones, M. , Kaya, E. and Nan, J. 2025. Overeducation, earnings and job satisfaction among graduates in China. China Economic Review 93 102448. (10.1016/j.chieco.2025.102448)
- Jones, M. and Latreille, P. L. 2010. Disability and earnings: Are employer characteristics important?. Economics Letters 106 (3), pp.191-194. (10.1016/j.econlet.2009.11.017)
- Jones, M. , Latreille, P. L. and Sloane, P. J. 2008. Crossing the tracks? Trends in the training of male and female workers in Great Britain. British Journal of Industrial Relations 46 (2), pp.268-282. (10.1111/j.1467-8543.2008.00677.x)
- Jones, M. et al. 2013. Work-related health risks in Europe: are older workers more vulnerable?. Social Science & Medicine 88 , pp.18-29. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.03.027)
- Jones, M. , Makepeace, G. and Wass, V. 2018. The UK gender pay gap 1997-2015: what is the role of the public sector?. Industrial Relations Journal 57 (2), pp.296-319. (10.1111/irel.12208)
- Jones, M. et al. 2014. Disability, job mismatch, earnings and job satisfaction in Australia. Cambridge Journal of Economics 38 (5), pp.1221-1246. (10.1093/cje/beu014)
- Jones, M. et al. 2018. The dynamic effect of disability on work and subjective well-being. Oxford Economic Papers 70 (3), pp.635-657. (10.1093/oep/gpy006)
- Jones, M. and McVicar, D. 2022. The dynamics of disability and benefit receipt in Britain. Oxford Economic Papers 74 (3), pp.936-957. (10.1093/oep/gpab058)
- Jones, M. and Saloniki, E. 2021. Exploring the relationship between impairment and disability in Great Britain: evidence from the life opportunities survey. Journal of Disability Policy Studies 33 (3), pp.147-157. (10.1177/10442073211021532)
- Jones, M. and Scott, R. 2024. Does disability affect support for political parties?. Electoral Studies: An International Journal on Voting and Electoral Systems and Strategy 92 102881. (10.1016/j.electstud.2024.102881)
- Jones, M. and Skilton, L. 2012. An analysis of labour market outcomes in the European Union Objective One funding area in Great Britain. Regional Studies 48 (7), pp.1194-1211. (10.1080/00343404.2012.697992)
- Jones, M. and Sloane, P. J. 2010. Disability and skill mismatch. Economic Record 86 , pp.101-114. (10.1111/j.1475-4932.2010.00659.x)
- Jones, M. and Wass, V. J. 2013. Understanding changing disability-related employment gaps in Britain 1998-2011. Work Employment and Society 27 (6), pp.982-1003. (10.1177/0950017013475372)
- Jones, M. K. , Latreille, P. L. and Sloane, P. J. 2016. Job anxiety, work-related psychological illness and workplace performance. British Journal of Industrial Relations 54 (4), pp.742-767. (10.1111/bjir.12159)
- Jones, M. K. and McVicar, D. 2020. Estimating the impact of disability onset on employment. Social Science and Medicine 255 113001. (10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113001)
- Murphy, P. et al., 2008. Is there a public sector training advantage? Evidence from the Workplace Employment Relations Survey. British Journal of Industrial Relations 46 (4), pp.674-701. (10.1111/j.1467-8543.2008.00699.x)
- Sheveleva, L. , Jones, M. and Harris, I. 2023. It does not matter how hard you work: The importance of task allocation for worker productivity. Economics Letters 227 111115. (10.1016/j.econlet.2023.111115)
Book sections
- Blackaby, D. et al., 2015. Is the public sector pay advantage explained by differences in work quality?. In: Felstead, A. , Gallie, D. and Green, F. eds. Unequal Britain at Work: The Evolution and Distribution of Intrinsic Job Quality. Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Jones, M. et al. 2024. Disability and the future of work. In: MacLeavy, J. and Pitts, F. H. eds. The Handbook for the Future of Work. Routledge International Handbooks Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. , pp.145-160. (10.4324/9781003327561-17)
- Jones, M. and Wass, V. 2023. Organisational disability measurement and reporting in the UK. In: Beatty, J. E. , Hennekam, S. and Kulkarni, M. eds. De Gruyter Handbook of Disability and Management. De Gruyter. , pp.63-82. (10.1515/9783110743647)
Conferences
- Jones, M. and Wass, V. 2012. Well-being and disability – new evidence of inequality. Presented at: 'Fairness at Work in Challenging Times' - FairWRC Conference Manchester Business School, Manchester, UK 6-7 September 2012.
Monographs
- Clifton-Sprigg, J. et al., 2024. Fathers taking leave: Evaluating the impact of shared parental leave in the UK. Other. Bonn, Germany: IZA Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/17076.
- Fevre, R. W. et al. 2016. Closing disability gaps at work: deficits in evidence and variations in experience. Project Report.Cardiff University.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. Organisational gender pay gaps in the UK: what happened post-transparency?. Other. IZA – Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/15342/organisational-gender-pay-gaps-in-the-uk-what-happened-post-transparency.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. Performance-related pay and the UK gender pay gap. Other. Global Labor Organization (GLO). Available at: https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/glodps/1211.html.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2021. The gender pay gap in UK medicine.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2020. The gender pay gap: what can we learn from Northern Ireland?. Other. IZA – Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp13318.pdf.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2022. The UK gender pay gap: does firm size matter?. Other. Global Labor Organization. Available at: https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/glodps/1149.html.
- Jones, M. and Kaya, E. 2019. Understanding the gender pay gap within the UK public sector.
- Jones, M. , Kaya, E. and Nan, J. 2024. Overeducation, earnings and job satisfaction among graduates in China. Other. IZA Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://docs.iza.org/dp17161.pdf.
- Jones, M. , Kaya, E. and Papps, K. L. 2022. The ongoing impact of gender pay gap transparency legislation. Other. IZA – Institute of Labor Economics. Available at: https://docs.iza.org/dp15817.
Research
Primary research interests
- Labour economics
- The economics of disability
- Regional economics
- Health economics
Research projects
ESRC Productivity Institute Wales Productivity Forum https://www.productivity.ac.uk/regions-nations/wales-regional-forum/
Nuffield Foundation Musculoskeletal conditions, employment retention and job quality https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/project/musculoskeletal-conditions-employment-retention-and-job-quality
NIHR Creating Health Jobs https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/creatinghealthyjobs/
Teaching
Teaching commitments
- BS2547 British Economy
Biography
Qualifications
- PhD in Labour Economics, Swansea University
- MSc Business Economics, Swansea University
- BSc Economics, Swansea University
Supervisions
I am interested in supervising students in the area of labour economics and have a particular interest in gender equality and health and disability at work.
Current supervision
Contact Details
+44 29208 75079
Aberconway Building, Room B32a, Colum Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EU
Research themes
Specialisms
- Labour economics