Cai is a married woman in her late 20s who had her first child two years ago. She worked for several years at a financial firm before having her child and is now planning to rejoin the workforce. Research suggests that she will likely face a reduction in salary once she begins working again. The earnings reduction Cai will likely experience is referred to by researchers as ________.
1) a work-family conflict
2) occupational gender segregation
3) an opportunity cost
4) the motherhood penalty