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Chu, Yu-Wei Luke, Harold E. Cuffe & Nguyen Doan (2021): Motherhood Employment Penalty and Gender Wage Gap Across Countries: 1990-2010. (SEF working paper 9446), Wellington, 41 S.

Abstract

"In this paper, we employ twin birth as an instrument to estimate the effects of fertility on female employment using 72 censuses from 37 countries in 1990–2010. Next, we document a strong linear association between gender wage gap and the estimated motherhood employment penalty both across countries and within countries. Reductions in the gender wage gap are associated with decreases in motherhood employment penalty. Our estimates suggest that a reduction of one percentage-point in the gender wage gap is associated with a decrease of 0.4 percentage-points in the estimated motherhood employment penalty. Our finding supports the notion that job prospects and gender equality in the labor market play a direct role in a mother’s labor supply response to childbirth." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ciminelli, Gabriele, Cyrille Schwellnus & Balazs Stadler (2021): Sticky floors or glass ceilings? The role of human capital, working time flexibility and discrimination in the gender wage gap. (OECD Economics Department working papers 1668), Paris, 43 S. DOI:10.1787/02ef3235-en

Abstract

"Despite changes in social norms and policies, on average across 25 European countries, there remains a gap of around 15% in hourly earnings between similarly-qualified men and women. This raises inequality and limits growth by preventing women from reaching their full labour market potential. Using individual-level data, this paper quantifies the main drivers of gender wage gaps with a view to devising effective policies to reduce them. The findings suggest that, on average, “sticky floors” related to social norms, gender stereotyping and discrimination account for 40% of the gender wage gap, while the “glass ceiling” related to the motherhood penalty accounts for around 60%. The importance of the “glass ceiling” is especially large in most Northern and Western European countries, while “sticky floors” explain the major part of the gap in most Central and Eastern European countries. These results imply that most Northern and Western European countries need to prioritise policies to address the motherhood penalty, such as further promoting flexitime and telework and supporting early childcare. Most Central and Eastern European as well as Southern European countries, where “sticky floors” are more important, additionally need to prioritise equal pay and pay transparency laws, measures to address gender stereotyping, competition in product markets, as well as higher wage floors where they are currently low." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Dudel, Christian & Sebastian Klüsener (2021): Male-Female Fertility Differentials Across 17 High-Income Countries: Insights From A New Data Resource. In: European Journal of Population, Jg. 37, H. 2, S. 417-441. DOI:10.1007/s10680-020-09575-9

Abstract

"Obtaining cross-country comparative perspectives on male fertility has long been difficult, as male fertility is usually less well registered than female fertility. Recent methodological advancements in imputing missing paternal ages at childbirth enable us to provide a new database on male fertility. This new resource covers more than 330 million live births and is based on a consistent and well-tested set of methods. These methods allow us to handle missing information on the paternal age, which is missing for roughly 10% of births. The data resource is made available in the Human Fertility Collection and allows for the first time a comparative perspective on male fertility in high-income countries using high-quality birth register data. We analyze trends in male–female fertility quantum and tempo differentials across 17 high-income countries, dating as back as far as the late 1960s for some countries, and with data available for the majority of countries from the 1980s onward. Using descriptive and counterfactual analysis methods, we find substantial variation both across countries and over time. Related to the quantum we demonstrate that disparities between male and female period fertility rates are driven to a large degree by the interplay of parental age and cohort size differences. For parental age differences at childbirth, we observe a development toward smaller disparities, except in Eastern Europe. This observation fits with expectations based on gender theories. However, variation across countries also seems to be driven by factors other than gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Duval-Hernandez, Robert, Lei Fang & L. Rachel Ngai (2021): Taxes, Subsidies, and Gender Gaps in Hours and Wages. (Working papers / Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta 2021,17), Atlanta, Ga., 48 S. DOI:10.29338/wp2021-17

Abstract

"Using micro data from 17 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, this paper documents a negative cross-country correlation between gender ratios in market hours and wages. We find that market hours by women and the size of the service sector that produces close substitutes to home production are important for the gender differences in market hours across countries. We quantify the role played by taxes and subsidies to family care on the two gender ratios in a multisector model with home production. Higher taxes and lower subsidies reduce the marketization of home production and therefore reduce market hours. The effect is larger for women because of their comparative advantage in producing home services and the corresponding market substitutes. The larger fall in female market hours drives up the female wage relative to the male wage, resulting in higher gender wage ratios." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gimenez-Nadal, Jose Ignacio & José Alberto Molina (2021): How do women allocate their available time in Europe? Differences with men. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 908), Maastricht, 42 S.

Abstract

"This article explores the gender gap in time allocation in Europe, offering up-to-date statistics and information on several factors that may help to explain these differences. Prior research has identified several factors affecting the time individuals devote to paid work, unpaid work, and child care, and the gender gaps in these activities, but most research refers to single countries, and general patterns are rarely explored. Cross-country evidence on gender gaps in paid work, unpaid work, and child care is offered, and explanations based on education, earnings, and household structure are presented, using data from the EUROSTAT and the Multinational Time Use Surveys. There are large cross-country differences in the gender gaps in paid work, unpaid work, and child care, which remain after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, although the gender gap in paid work dissipates when the differential gendered relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and paid work is taken into account. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of gender gaps in Europe, helping to focus recent debates on how to tackle inequality in Europe, and clarifying the factors that contribute to gender inequalities in the uses of time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Korinek, Jane, Evdokia Moïsé & Jakob Tange (2021): Trade and gender: A Framework of analysis. (OECD trade policy working papers 246), Paris, 87 S. DOI:10.1787/6db59d80-en

Abstract

"Closing gender gaps makes good economic sense. Advancing the aim of women's economic empowerment will require policy action across a wide range of areas, including increasing their participation in international trade. Although trade policies are not de jure discriminatory, they impact women and men differently due to dissimilar initial conditions. Mapping the channels and interactions between trade and gender for women as workers, consumers, and business owners shows that: (i) trade impacts women workers differently to men in part because they are employed in different sectors — in OECD countries, more often in services; (ii) trade lowers prices for consumers, which particularly increases the purchasing power of more vulnerable groups, where women are disproportionately represented; and (iii) higher trade costs impede smaller businesses' access to international markets more than large firms, which impacts women who tend to own and lead smaller businesses. A framework is proposed for analysing the impacts of trade and trade policies on women that policy makers can use in order to ensure that trade and trade policies in their country support women's economic empowerment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Li, Qi, Chris Knoester & Richard J. Petts (2021): Cross-national Attitudes about Paid Parental Leave Offerings for Fathers. (SocArXiv papers), 40 S. DOI:10.31235/osf.io/dxy24

Abstract

"Using cross-national data from the 2012 International Social Survey Programme (N = 33,273), this study considers institutional, self-interest, and ideational factors in analyzing public opinions about the provision, length, and source of paid parental leave offerings for fathers. We find substantial support for generous leave offerings. Multilevel regression results reveal that being a woman, supporting dual-earning expectations, and realizing more family strains lead to support for more generous leave offerings. Endorsing separate spheres and intensive mothering attitudes reduces support for more generous leave offerings; although, gendered attitudes interact with one another in predicting leave preferences, too. Finally, country-level indicators of female empowerment and father-specific leave offerings are positively associated with preferences for more generous leave offerings. Overall, public opinions about fathers’ leave offerings across OECD countries largely support policies that provide opportunities for more involved fathering, but preferences continue to be gendered and linked to family strains and country-level contexts." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lightman, Naomi & Anthony Kevins (2021): "Women's Work": Welfare State Spending and the Gendered and Classed Dimensions of Unpaid Care. In: Gender & Society, Jg. 35, H. 5, S. 778-805. DOI:10.1177/08912432211038695

Abstract

"This study is the first to explicitly assess the connections between welfare state spending and the gendered and classed dimensions of unpaid care work across 29 European nations. Our research uses multi-level model analysis of European Quality of Life Survey data, examining childcare and housework burdens for people living with at least one child under the age of 18. Two key findings emerge: First, by disaggregating different types of unpaid care work, we find that childcare provision is more gendered than classed—reflecting trends toward “intensive mothering”. Housework and cooking, on the contrary, demonstrate both gender and class effects, likely because they are more readily outsourced by wealthier individuals to the paid care sector. Second, while overall social expenditure has no effect on hours spent on childcare and housework, results suggest that family policy may shape the relationship between gender, income, and housework (but not childcare). Specifically, family policy expenditure is associated with a considerably smaller gender gap vis-à-vis the time dedicated to housework: This effect is present across the income spectrum, but is particularly substantial in the case of lower income women." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Magda, Iga & Katarzyna Lipowska (2021): Flexibility of Working Time Arrangements and Female Labor Market Outcome. (IZA discussion paper 14812), Bonn, 18 S.

Abstract

"We use data from the 2019 EU Labor Force Survey to study gender and parenthood gaps in two dimensions of flexibility in working time arrangements in 25 European countries. We find that overall in Europe, there is no statistically significant gender difference in access to flexible work arrangements. However, women are less likely than men to have flexible working hours in the Central-Eastern and Southern European countries, whereas this gender gap is reversed in Continental Europe. At the same time, women are less likely than men to face demands from their employers that they work flexible hours. We also find that both mothers and fathers are more likely than their childless colleagues to have access to flexible working hours, but that fathers' workplaces are more likely than mothers' workplaces to demand temporal flexibility from employees. In addition, we find that working in a female-dominated occupation decreases the probability of having access to flexible work arrangements, and that this effect is stronger for women than for men. At the same time, we observe that both men and women who work in female-dominated occupations are less exposed to flexibility demands from employers than their counterparts who work in male-dominated or gender-neutral occupations. Finally, we find that compared to employers in other Europeans countries, employers in the Central and Eastern European countries are less likely to offer flexible working hours, especially to women, and with no additional flexibility being offered to parents; whereas employers in Continental and Nordic countries are more likely to offer flexible work arrangements, and with no gender gap." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Moriconi, Simone & Núria Rodríguez-Planas (2021): Gender Norms and the Motherhood Employment Gap. (CESifo working paper 9471), München, 45 S.

Abstract

"Using individual-level data from the European Social Survey, we study the relevance of gender norms in accounting for the motherhood employment gap across 186 European NUTS2 regions (over 29 countries) for the 2002-2016 period. The gender norm variable is taken from a question on whether “men should have more right to a job than women when jobs are scarce” and represents the average extent of disagreement (on a scale 1 to 5) of women belonging to the “grandmothers” cohort. We address the potential endogeneity of our gender norms measure with an index of the degree of reproductive health liberalization when grandmothers were 20 years old. We also account for the endogeneity of motherhood with the level of reproductive health liberalization when mothers were 20 years old. We find a robust positive association between progressive beliefs among the grandmothers' cohort and mothers' likelihood to work while having a small child (0 to 5 years old) relative to similar women without children. No similar association is found among men. Our analysis underscores the role of gender norms and maternal employment, suggesting that non-traditional gender norms mediate on the employment gender gap mainly via motherhood." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Mourelatos, Evangelos (2021): Hiring Discrimination in Labor Markets. An Experimental Study of Mood Regulation. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 956), Essen, 49 S.

Abstract

"We explore whether there is a link between mood and hiring decisions. This research examines how positive mood affects the discrimination faced my homosexual job candidates compared to heterosexuals. Our experimental design allows us to track the complete hiring process and monitor employers' behavior within and without our treatment context, in both online and offline labor market settings. Constructing pairs of curriculum vitae, distinguished, in each case, only by the sexual orientation or the gender of the applicants, led to the observation that females and gay men faced a significantly lower chance of getting hired regardless the labor market context. We also find that female employers propose higher levels of discrimination only for the case of female applicants. Our positive mood manipulation led to a depletion of discrimination levels, with the effects being more robust in the online labor context. Thus, there is substantial experimental evidence to suggest that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender does exist also in online labor markets. Contributions to the hiring discrimination, mood research, and gig-economy literature are discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Queisser, Monika (2021): COVID-19 and OECD Labour Markets: What Impact on Gender Gaps? In: Intereconomics, Jg. 56, H. 5, S. 249-253. DOI:10.1007/s10272-021-0993-6

Abstract

"Across the board statements on who suffers most are not helpful and may actually be a disservice to the fight for greater gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Richardson, Nela & Sara Klein (2021): People at Work 2021: A Global Workforce View. Roseland, 48 S.

Abstract

"This report provides a starting point to understand the situation facing employees today across five dimensions of working life: worker confidence and job security; workplace conditions; pay and performance; worker mobility; and gender and family." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Schmieder, Julia & Katharina Wrohlich (2021): Gender Pay Gap im europäischen Vergleich: Positiver Zusammenhang zwischen Frauenerwerbsquote und Lohnlücke. In: DIW-Wochenbericht, Jg. 88, H. 9, S. 141-147. DOI:10.18723/diw_wb:2021-9-3

Abstract

"Das öffentliche Interesse am Gender Pay Gap ist in den letzten Jahren in Deutschland deutlich gestiegen. Gleichzeitig hat sich bei der prozentualen Lohnlücke zwischen Frauen und Männern hierzulande kaum etwas getan. Ein europäischer Vergleich zeigt, dass niedrigere Frauenerwerbsquoten tendenziell mit einem niedrigeren Gender Pay Gap einhergehen. Eine Erklärung hierfür sind über die Länder variierende Geschlechterunterschiede in den Charakteristika der erwerbstätigen Bevölkerung. Sowohl im Vergleich zu allen Ländern als auch ausschließlich zu solchen mit ähnlichen Frauenerwerbsquoten hat Deutschland einen der höchsten Gender Pay Gaps in Europa. Im Gegensatz dazu fallen die nordischen Länder mit ihren vergleichsweise niedrigen Lohnlücken bei gleichzeitig hohen Frauenerwerbsquoten im europäischen Vergleich besonders positiv auf. Die Ausweitung der Partnermonate beim Elterngeld, der quantitative und qualitative Ausbau der Kinderbetreuung und eine Reform des Ehegattensplittings sind geeignete Instrumente um mehr Gleichstellung am Arbeitsmarkt zu erreichen – sowohl hinsichtlich der Erwerbsbeteiligung als auch der Löhne." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Sikirić, Ana Marija (2021): The Effect of Childcare Use on Gender Equality in European Labor Markets. In: Feminist economics, Jg. 27, H. 4, S. 90-113. DOI:10.1080/13545701.2021.1933560

Abstract

"Parenthood necessarily increases the scope of unpaid work in households and tends to depress women’s employment rates relative to men’s. This paper examines the relationship between the use of full-time childcare for children under 3 years of age and employment rates for men and women with one, two, or three or more children under 6 years of age in European households. Panel data from a sample of the (then) twenty-eight European Union member states for the 2005–15 period were analyzed. The results indicate that smaller differences between employment rates of men and women with one, two, or three or more children under 6 years of age are associated with greater use of full-time childcare arrangements for children under the age of 3." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Winkle, Zachary Van & Anette Fasang (2021): The complexity of employment and family life courses across 20th century Europe: More evidence for larger cross-national differences but little change across 1916‒1966 birth cohorts. In: Demographic Research, Jg. 44, S. 775-810. DOI:10.4054/DemRes.2021.44.32

Abstract

"Background: There has been much debate whether work and family lives became more complex in past decades, that is, exhibiting more frequent transitions and more uncertainty. Van Winkle and Fasang (2017) and Van Winkle (2018) first benchmarked change in employment and family complexity over time against cross-national differences in 14 European countries. Compared to sizeable and stable cross-national differences, the increase in employment and family complexity was small across cohorts. However, these studies could not include cohorts born past the late 1950s assumed to be most affected by the structural changes driving life course complexity and were limited to a relatively small set of West European countries. Objective: We replicate and extend these studies by adding over 15 additional countries in Eastern Europe and a decade of younger birth cohorts. Methods: The 3rd and 7th waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, sequence complexity metrics, and cross-classified modelling are used to simultaneously quantify the proportions of variance attributable to cohort and country differences in work and family lives between ages 18 to 50. Results: The updated findings still support a negligible increase in family complexity and a moderate increase in employment complexity that pale in comparison to large and stable cross-national differences for individuals born between 1916 and 1966 for work and family lives experienced from 1934 to 2016 in 30 European countries. Specifically, 15 and 10% of employment and family complexity is nested across countries, compared to 5.5 and 2% across birth cohorts. However, the analyses also indicate a polarization in Europe between most Eastern and Southern European countries with stable and low family complexity compared to Nordic and some Western European countries with high and increasing family complexity. In contrast, moderately increasing employment complexity is a Europe-wide trend. Conclusions: This study both replicates the original studies' findings that cross-cohort change is minor compared to large cross-national differences, and is a substantive extension by addressing a large deficit of description on family and employment life course change in the Balkan and Baltic regions. Contribution: Cross-national comparisons are particularly promising for understanding the institutional drivers of employment and family instability." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Max-Planck-Institut für demographische Forschung) ((en))

Abstract

"Women continue to earn less than men, in spite of major societal changes over decades and many labour market, educational and public policy initiatives that have targeted the gender wage gap. To address this persistent challenge, many governments are now mandating promising new pay transparency tools like employer pay gap reporting, equal pay audits, and gender-neutral job classification systems. These policies hold considerable allure. Pay transparency offers a relatively simple and intuitive way to identify and address gender wage gaps when they occur in a workplace. These policies can function well in publicising wage gaps and incentivising employers to address the inequalities they find – but only with the right policy design and implementation. This report presents the first stocktaking of pay transparency tools across OECD countries and explores how such policies can help level the playing field for women and men at work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Aksoy, Cevat Giray, Berkay Ozcan & Julia Philipp (2020): Robots and the Gender Pay Gap in Europe. (IZA discussion paper 13482), 48 S.

Abstract

"Could robotization make the gender pay gap worse? We provide the first large-scale evidence on the impact of industrial robots on the gender pay gap using data from 20 European countries. We show that robot adoption increases both male and female earnings but also increases the gender pay gap. Using an instrumental variable strategy, we find that a ten percent increase in robotization leads to a 1.8 percent increase in the gender pay gap. These results are mainly driven by countries with high levels of gender inequality and outsourcing destination countries. We then explore the mechanisms behind this effect and find that our results can be explained by the fact that men at medium- and high-skill occupations disproportionately benefit from robotization (through a productivity effect). We rule out the possibility that our results are driven by mechanical changes in the gender composition of the workforce nor by inflows or outflows from the manufacturing sector." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cabrita, Jorge, Julie Vanderleyden, Isabella Biletta & Barbara Gerstenberger (2020): Gender equality at work. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Genf, 93 S. DOI:10.2806/934654

Abstract

"Gender inequality at work persists across Europe, despite the long standing attention paid and efforts made to tackle it. This Eurofound report presents a closer look at women’s and men’s working conditions, using data from Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) and complementing previous Eurofound research on, among other things, working time patterns, work–life balance and workers’ health. Beyond the general differences in the labour market, it highlights many important gaps in men’s and women’s working conditions and job quality which require specific attention. According to the EWCS data, the reduction of gender gaps in those areas showing improvement over the last 5 to 10 years remains limited. European and national strategies aimed at achieving job quality for all, that seek to mainstream gender equality, could help address persistent inequalities between men and women." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Fernández-Macías, Enrique & José-María Arranz-Muñoz (2020): Occupations and the recent trends in wage inequality in Europe. In: European journal of industrial relations, Jg. 26, H. 3, S. 331-346. DOI:10.1177/0959680119866041

Abstract

"We aim to contribute to a better understanding of the role that occupations played in recent trends in wage inequality in some European countries. Using EU-SILC data, we observe that most of the changes in wage inequality between 2005 and 2014 were the result of changes in the distribution of wages within occupations. A longer term approximation using data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) shows similar patterns. We conclude that occupational dynamics did not drive recent trends in wage inequality in Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ferragina, Emanuele (2020): Family policy and women's employment outcomes in 45 high-income countries. A systematic qualitative review of 238 comparative and national studies. In: Social Policy and Administration, Jg. 54, H. 7, S. 1016-1066. DOI:10.1111/spol.12584

Abstract

"The article reviews the available quantitative evidence on the relationship between explicit family policy and women's employment outcomes in 45 high-income countries between 1980 and 2016. At the methodological level, we gathered 238 papers through a four-stage systematic qualitative review. We included articles published in English in international journals or by leading research institutes. Despite the accrued importance of the field, comparative works and national case studies do not sufficiently engage one another for methodological and disciplinary reasons. Our contribution is to integrate the findings from both streams of the literature in two ways. First, we chart systematically the debate describing its evolution over four decades, the disciplines involved (demography, economics, politics, social policy, sociology, and interdisciplinary work), and the geographical and policy breadth of the empirical contributions. Second, we provide a rich guide for scholars in the field by exploring how national case studies fit (or not) the broad trends captured in comparative research and discussing key and controversial debates in the field. In conclusion, we point out also important gaps in the literature and propose new avenues for future research. An exhaustive set of tables provides information on each comparative and national case study and on the databases and variables employed in the literature." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Goossen, Mikael (2020): The gender gap in welfare state attitudes in Europe. The role of unpaid labour and family policy. In: Journal of European Social Policy, Jg. 30, H. 4, S. 452-466. DOI:10.1177/0958928719899337

Abstract

"Previous research has shown a prevailing ‘modern gender gap’ in socio-political attitudes in advanced capitalist economies. While numerous studies have confirmed gender differences in attitudes towards the welfare state in Europe, few have addressed the reason for this rift in men’s and women’s views about the role of government in ensuring the general welfare of citizens. In this article, I examine the relationship between gender equality in unpaid labour, family policy and the gender gap in welfare state attitudes. Based on data from 21 countries participating in the European Social Survey (ESS) Round 4, and using a mix of country- and individual-level regression models and multilevel models, I find that there is a clear relationship between country-level gender equality in unpaid labour and gender differences in support of an encompassing welfare state. A more equal distribution of unpaid care and domestic work correlates with women being increasingly supportive of a large and encompassing welfare state, in comparison with men. This pattern holds when controlling for individual-level economic risk and resources, cultural factors such as trust and social values traditionally related to the support of an encompassing welfare state, and beliefs about welfare state efficiency and consequences for society in general. This pattern is evident for countries with a low level of familistic policies, while no distinguishable pattern is discernible for highly familistic countries. These findings have implications for the perception of gender as an emergent social cleavage with respect to welfare state attitudes. The results are discussed in the light of institutional theories on policy feedback, familism, social role theory and previous findings relating to modernization theory and ‘gender realignment’." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Heilmann, Lisanne, Iddo Gal & Anke Grotlüschen (2020): Do higher skill levels lead to better outcomes? The disproportionality between skills and outcomes for women. In: Gender, Jg. 12, H. 3, S. 87-106. DOI:10.3224/gender.v12i3.07

Abstract

"Wir wissen, dass auf dem Arbeitsmarkt eine Vielzahl von Mechanismen greift, die Frauen und Männer ungleich positionieren und deren Erfolgschancen beeinflussen. Dennoch bleibt in unseren meritokratischen Gesellschaften die grundlegende Annahme, dass höhere Kompetenzen und (persönliche oder gesellschaftliche) Investitionen in Bildung zu einer größeren Gleichberechtigung beitragen könnten. Doch trifft dies tatsächlich für Männer und Frauen gleichermaßen zu? In diesem Artikel prüfen wir anhand der PIAAC-Datensätze (Adult Skill Survey) für 13 europäische Länder, in welchem Maße die Kompetenzen von Männern und Frauen mit deren Positionen im Arbeitsmarkt korrelieren. In multivariaten Regressionen wird in der vorliegenden Untersuchung festgestellt, dass der Zusammenhang von Kompetenzen und Erfolg für Männer proportional verläuft, während dies für Frauen nicht der Fall ist. Ein Mehr an Fähigkeiten führt für sie keineswegs zu höheren Positionen oder Einkommen. Dies gilt sowohl für das monatliche Einkommen als auch für das Innehaben von Führungspositionen. Frauen haben im Schnitt höhere Kompetenzen als Männer bei ähnlicher Bezahlung und ähnlichen Positionen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Karabchuk, Tatiana (2020): Job Instability and Fertility Intentions of Young Adults in Europe: Does Labor Market Legislation Matter? In: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Jg. 688, H. 1, S. 225-245. DOI:10.1177/0002716220910419

Abstract

"Total birth rates have fallen dramatically in many European countries during the last 40 years. Job and income instability caused by labor market polarization are significant drivers of declining birth rates because employment certainty and stability are crucial to childbirth planning among young adults. This article investigates the impact of job instability on the fertility intentions of young adults in Europe, focusing on employment protection legislation (EPL) in European countries. I use data from twenty-seven countries that participated in the European Social Survey in 2004 and 2010 to show that job instability measured as temporary employment, informal work, and unemployment decreases fertility intentions among European youth regardless of the EPL in the country. Unemployed young adults tend to plan less for having their first child in the countries with high EPL. Contrary to the hypotheses, multilevel modeling showed that young people in temporary or informal employment in countries with low EPL show decreases in their fertility intentions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lauri, Triin, Kaire Põder & Rossella Ciccia (2020): Pathways to gender equality. A configurational analysis of childcare instruments and outcomes in 21 European countries. In: Social Policy and Administration, Jg. 54, H. 5, S. 646-665. DOI:10.1111/spol.12562

Abstract

"The ability to produce desired outcomes represents an important basis of the legitimacy of social policies. Nonetheless, policy outcomes have not systematically figured in the analysis of childcare regimes despite growing political interest in issues such as female employment, gender wage gap, and men's involvement in childcare. In this article, we use fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis to investigate the relationship between the configuration of policy instruments, attitudes toward childcare and outcomes in 21 European countries. Our results show that there is only one mix of policy instruments consistently linked with positive gen- der equality outcomes and this route has the quality of the universal caregiver model. It also demonstrates that both a combination of policy instruments and favorable attitudinal factors are necessary to produce desirable outcomes in the gender division of paid work and unpaid childcare." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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McNally, Sandra (2020): Gender Differences in Tertiary Education. What Explains STEM Participation? (CEP discussion paper 1721), London, 33 S.

Abstract

"The share of women achieving tertiary education has increased rapidly over time and now exceeds that of men in most OECD countries. However, women are severely under-represented in maths-intensive science fields, which are generally referred to as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths). The under-representation of women in these subject areas has received a great deal of attention. This is because these fields are seen to be especially important for productivity and economic growth and are associated with occupations that have higher earnings. Subject of degree is an important part of the explanation for the gender wage gap. The aim of this paper is to review evidence on explanations for the STEM gap in tertiary education. This starts with statistics about background context and evidence on how well-prepared male and female students may be for studying STEM at a later stage. I then discuss what the literature has to say about the role of personal attributes: namely confidence, self-efficacy and competitiveness and the role of preferences and expectations. I go on to discuss features of the educational context thought to be important for influencing attributes and preferences (or mediating their effects): peers; teachers; role models; and curriculum. I then briefly discuss broader cultural influences. I use the literature reviewed to discuss policy implications." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Muller, Joanne S., Nicole Hiekel & Aart C. Liefbroer (2020): The Long-Term Costs of Family Trajectories: Women's Later-Life Employment and Earnings Across Europe. In: Demography, Jg. 57, H. 3, S. 1007-1034. DOI:10.1007/s13524-020-00874-8

Abstract

"The “motherhood earnings penalty” is a well-established finding in many Western countries. However, a divide between mothers and nonmothers might oversimplify reality given that the family life course has diversified over the last decades. In addition, whether family choices have consequences for women's employment and earnings in later life is not well known, particularly in a comparative perspective. Using data on 50- to 59-year-old women from the Generations and Gender Programme, the British Household Panel Survey, and SHARELIFE for 22 European countries, we derive a typology of women's family trajectories and estimate its association with women's later-life employment and earnings. Whereas family trajectory–related differences with regard to employment were relatively small, our findings reveal a clear, long-lasting family trajectory gradient in earnings. Childless women (with or without a partner) as well as single mothers had higher personal earnings than women whose family trajectories combined parenthood and partnership. Moreover, in societies in which reconciliation of work and family during midlife is less burdensome, labor market outcomes of women following different family trajectories converge. Our findings show that women's fertility and partnership behavior are inevitably interrelated and jointly influence employment and earning patterns until later in life. The results imply that promoting equal employment opportunities could have long-lasting effects on women's economic independence." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Wong, Elizabeth, Judy Jou, Amy Raub & Jody Heymann (2020): Comparing the availability of paid parental leave for same-sex and different-sex couples in 34 OECD countries. In: Journal of social policy, Jg. 49, H. 3, S. 525-545. DOI:10.1017/S0047279419000643

Abstract

"The availability of paid family leave has been widely researched in the context of a two-parent household with one mother and one father, yet few studies have explored whether households with same-sex parents have access to equal benefits. Expanding on previous cross-country comparisons of parental leave policies, this study examines parental leave policies in 34 OECD countries to compare the total duration of paid parental leave available to same-sex and different-sex parent families within a country. We find that same-sex female and different-sex couples receive equal durations of leave in the majority of countries. However, same-sex male couples often receive shorter durations of paid parental leave compared to both different-sex and same-sex female couples. In addition to addressing the implications of laws and policies surrounding same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption on parental leave availability, we highlight specific aspects of paid leave policies that may explain the unequal durations of paid leave between same-sex and different-sex couples." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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European Institute for Gender Equality (2020): Gender equality index 2020. Digitalisation and the future of work. (Gender equality index …), Vilnius, 178 S. DOI:10.2839/79077

Abstract

"The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was a wake-up call for gender equality in Europe. It reminded us about everyday gender inequalities in our society that often go unnoticed – from the shortage of men working in the care sector to the reality of violence facing women in abusive relationships. While it will still take time to fully understand the consequences of COVID-19 for gender equality, it’s clear that it poses a serious threat to the fragile achievements made over the past decade. This year, the Index report focuses on the effects of digitalisation on the world of work and the consequences for gender equality. This topic is extremely relevant in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ways in which the working lives of women and men have been affected by it. New types of jobs and innovative ways of working through online platforms were analysed to gain an understanding of who is doing these jobs and whether they help or hinder gender equality. With a detailed analysis for the EU and each Member State, the Index shows country-level achievements and areas for improvement. More than ever, policymakers need the data that the Index provides. We hope that our findings will help Europe’s leaders to design future solutions that are inclusive and promote gender equality in our post-COVID-19 society." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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OECD (2020): Quality Early Childhood Education and Care for Children Under Age 3. Results from the Starting Strong Survey 2018. (TALIS), Paris, 120 S. DOI:10.1787/99f8bc95-en

Abstract

"The experience of children under age 3 with early childhood education and care (ECEC) is crucial for their learning, development and well-being and for parents’ return to work. Despite increasing recognition of the importance of ECEC for the youngest children, little is known about this sector. The OECD Starting Strong Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS Starting Strong) is the first international survey that focuses on the ECEC workforce. It asks staff and leaders about themselves and their settings, including the practices they use with children and their views on the sector. This thematic report focusses on ECEC for children under age 3, an option of the Survey in which four countries (Denmark, Germany, Israel and Norway) participated. The report answers many questions that are important for parents, actors in the field, and policy makers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Aumayr-Pintar, Christine (2019): Parental and paternity leave - Uptake by fathers. Working conditions. (Eurofound ad hoc report), Dublin, 41 S. DOI:10.2806/753240

Abstract

"In the context of ongoing negotiations at EU level on adopting a work - life balance package for families and caregivers, Eurofound was requested by the European Commission to provide an update of the available data regarding paternity and parental leave for fathers. This report presents the currently available national statistics on the uptake of family-related leave by fathers over time across the EU28 and Norway, based on information compiled by the Network of Eurofound Correspondents. It gives a comparative overview of the main features of the various leave arrangements available for fathers, including information on duration, compensation, eligibility and the number of beneficiaries captured in the data. Despite the unevenness and lack of coherent statistics, the report concludes that in several Member States progress has been made in increasing the number and share of fathers who are taking parental or paternity leave." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Beham, Barbara, Sonja Drobnic, Patrick Präg, Andreas Baierl & Janin Eckner (2019): Part-time work and gender inequality in Europe. A comparative analysis of satisfaction with work-life balance. In: European Societies, Jg. 21, H. 3, S. 378-402. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2018.1473627

Abstract

"Part-time work is an increasingly common strategy for handling work and family - but is it an effective strategy everywhere and for everyone? To answer this question, we examine satisfaction with work-life balance (SWLB) of workers in 22 European countries. Our results show that part-time workers have higher SWLB than full-time workers; the more so, the fewer hours they put in. Yet, we find an important gender difference: women in marginal part-time work are more satisfied than men in a similar situation, and conversely men in full-time work have higher SWLB than women working full-time. Further, the societal context plays an important role: substantial part-time work is more conducive to SWLB in more gender-egalitarian countries than in countries with low gender equality. Hence, a supportive gender climate and institutional support may entice workers to reduce working hours moderately, which results in markedly increased levels of SWLB." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bick, Alexander, Bettina Brüggemann, Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln & Hannah Paule-Paludkiewicz (2019): Long-term changes in married couples' labor supply and taxes: Evidence from the US and Europe since the 1980s. In: Journal of International Economics, Jg. 118, H. May, S. 44-62. DOI:10.1016/j.jinteco.2019.01.014

Abstract

"We document the time-series of employment rates and hours worked per employed by married couples in the US and seven European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the UK) from the early 1980s through 2016. Relying on a model of joint household labor supply decisions, we quantitatively analyze the role of non-linear labor income taxes for explaining the evolution of hours worked of married couples over time, using as inputs the full country- and year-specific statutory labor income tax codes. We further evaluate the role of consumption taxes, gender and educational wage premia, and the educational composition. The model is quite successful in replicating the time series behavior of hours worked per employed married woman, with labor income taxes being the key driving force. It does however capture only part of the secular increase in married women's employment rates in the 1980s and early 1990s, suggesting an important role for factors not considered in this paper. An independent and important contribution of the paper is that we make the non-linear tax codes used as an input into the analysis available as a user-friendly and easily integrable set of Matlab codes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2023 Elsevier) ((en))

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Brimblecombe, Simon & Shea McClanahan (2019): Improving gender outcomes in social security retirement systems. In: Social policy and administration, Jg. 53, H. 3, S. 327-342. DOI:10.1111/spol.12476

Abstract

"Assessing whether retirement systems meet their varying objectives requires analysing outcomes across different categories of beneficiaries with different working, financial, demographic, and family situations. Policymakers should therefore assess systems on the distribution of outcomes rather than average outcomes.
Much has been written about the gender inequalities inherent in labour markets and how these are reflected and reproduced in pension systems, and there is growing evidence that recent reforms have exacerbated these trends. Recent research has turned to the policy measures available to policymakers to forestall or reverse these trends, but this literature tends to overlook important administrative measures that have the potential to reduce inequalities in access that could improve pension outcomes for women within the current policy framework. This paper examines the main issues surrounding gender inequality in retirement outcomes; explores the implications of recent reform trends in light of the differential outcomes for women, including policy options to mitigate the negative impacts; and concludes with a review of key administrative measures, including streamlining affiliation procedures, improving information, and simplifying payment of contributions and receipt of benefits and better compliance of employers." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Crotti, Robert, Thierry Geiger, Vesselina Ratcheva & Saadia Zahidi (2019): The global gender gap report 2020. Insight report. (The global gender gap report), Cologny/Geneva, 370 S.

Abstract

"Gender parity is fundamental to whether and how economies and societies thrive. Ensuring the full development and appropriate deployment of half of the world’s total talent pool has a vast bearing on the growth, competitiveness and future-readiness of economies and businesses worldwide. The Global Gender Gap Report benchmarks 153 countries on their progress towards gender parity. In addition, this year’s edition studies gender gaps prospects in the professions of the future." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Fuchs, Michaela, Anja Rossen, Antje Weyh & Gabriele Wydra-Somaggio (2019): Using the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition to quantitatively assess the gender pay gap. In: D. Wheatley (Hrsg.) (2019): Handbook of research methods on the quality of working lives, Elgar S. 224-234, 2018-12-07.

Abstract

"In this chapter we present the decomposition technique of Oaxaca (1973) and Blinder (1973), which is one of the most commonly used methods for analysing wage differences between men and women. It provides a comprehensive means to quantify the contribution of observed wage-determining characteristics and of unobserved characteristics to the gender pay gap. After an overview of the basic idea behind the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, we discuss its validity for empirical research, the major caveats that go along with its use and some subsequent extensions. This is illustrated with personal experience of using the decomposition for two research questions: first, for decomposing the gender pay gap for the countries of the European Union (EU), and, second, for single regions within Germany. We conclude with a discussion of the scope and limits of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gomez-Herrera, Estrella & Frank Müller-Langer (2019): Is there a gender wage gap in online labor markets? Evidence from over 250,000 projects and 2.5 million wage bill proposals. (CESifo working paper 7779), München, 34 S.

Abstract

"We explore whether there is a gender wage gap in one of the largest EU online labor markets, PeoplePerHour. Our unique dataset consists of 257,111 digitally tradeable tasks of 55,824 hiring employers from 188 countries and 65,010 workers from 173 countries that made more than 2.5 million wage bill proposals in the competition for contracts. Our data allows us to track the complete hiring process from the employers' design of proposed contracts to the competition among workers and the final agreement between employers and successful candidates. Using Heckman and OLS estimation methods we provide empirical evidence for a statistically significant 4% gender wage gap among workers, at the project level. We also find that female workers propose lower wage bills and are more likely to win the competition for contracts. Once we include workers' wage bill proposals in the regressions, the gender wage gap virtually disappears, i.e., it is statistically insignificant and very small in magnitude (0.3%). Our results also suggest that female workers' higher winning probabilities associated with lower wage bill proposals lead to higher expected revenues overall. We provide empirical evidence for heterogeneity of the gender wage gap in some of the job categories, all job difficulty levels and some of the worker countries. Finally, for some subsamples we find a statistically significant but very small ' reverse' gender wage gap." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Jungwirth, Ingrid & Carola Bauschke-Urban (Hrsg.) (2019): Gender and Diversity Studies. European Perspectives. Opladen: Budrich, 326 S. DOI:10.3224/84740549

Abstract

"What concepts of ‘gender’ and ‘diversity’ emerge in the different regions and pertinent research and practical fields? On the back drop of current European developments – from the deregulation of economy, a shrinking welfare state to the dissolution and reinforcement of borders – the book examines the development of Gender and Diversity Studies in different European regions as well as beyond and focuses on central fields of theoretical reflection, empirical research and practical implementation policies and politics. Anti-discrimination policies of the EU contribute to an institutionalization of Gender and Diversity Studies and interact with legal, political, societal and economic factors which shape the academic and practical fields. Pressure towards the deregulation of economy, the reduction of welfare state institutions, increased requirements of mobility for individuals and, at the same time, stronger regulations of migration have an impact on research and theory development in the field of Gender and Diversity Studies. While certain rights and anti-discrimination policies are being strengthened within the EU, and while inner borders between member states dissolve and – recently at the same time partially also increase – external borders of Europe are simultaneously being enforced. The large flows of refugee migration towards and into Europe has put these questions on top of the agenda. Taking these processes as well as social and political changes in different European and border regions into account, the state of the art as well as future perspectives of Gender and Diversity Studies are debated from multiple European and border perspectives. What concepts of ‘gender’ and ‘diversity’ emerge in the different regions and fields of studies?" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Maume, David J., Orlaith Heymann & Leah Ruppanner (2019): National board quotas and the gender pay gap among European managers. In: Work, employment and society, Jg. 33, H. 6, S. 1002-1019. DOI:10.1177/0950017019864509

Abstract

"As European countries have mandated quotas for women's representation on boards, and as women have increasingly entered the ranks of management, a persistent gender gap in managerial pay remains. Drawing a sample of managers in the 2010 European Social Survey, the gender gap in pay was decomposed, finding that employer devaluation of women accounted for the majority of the gender gap in pay. This was especially true in countries without mandated quotas, but in countries that had adopted quotas for female representation on boards, results were consistent with the proposition that quotas moderated the labour market for managers (i.e. the gender gap in managerial pay was smaller as was the portion of the gap attributable to discrimination). As board quotas have increasingly been adopted across Europe, more research is needed on their ameliorative effects on gender inequality in the wider labour market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Oshio, Takashi (2019): Is a positive association between female employment and fertility still spurious in developed countries? In: Demographic Research, Jg. 41, S. 1277-1288. DOI:10.4054/DemRes.2019.41.45

Abstract

"Background: The cross-sectional association between female employment and fertility across developed countries turned from negative to positive during the mid-1980s. The conventional view is that the observed positive association is spurious owing to country-specific heterogeneity.
Objective: We revisit the validity of this view using recent data up to 2017 from 24 countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Methods: Based on the data downloaded from the OECD database, we estimate the time-series association between the female labor force participation rate (FLFP) and total fertility rate (TFR) by fixed-effects regression models, which can control for country-specific heterogeneity.
Results: The more recent the data set used, the more likely it is that the time-series correlation will be positive between FLFP and TFR, even after controlling for country-specific heterogeneity. We also observe that public spending on families, especially in the form of benefits in kind, starts increasing once FLFP becomes sufficiently high.
Conclusions: A positive correlation between female employment and fertility in developed countries is no longer attributable to country-specific heterogeneity. The results are supportive of the view that higher female employment can make socioinstitutional contexts more favorable for childbearing, leading to a positive association between FLFP and TFR.
Contribution: This study underscored the need for further investigation of the association between female employment and fertility, which is likely to have changed in recent decades." (Author's abstract, © Max-Planck-Institut für demographische Forschung) ((en))

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Sándor, Eszter & Eleonora Clerici (2019): Household composition and well-being. Quality of life. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Dublin, 70 S. DOI:10.2806/009582

Abstract

"Demographic change, social progress and economic cycles have impacted household composition in Europe. This report provides an overview of household types in the European Union, how they have changed over the period 2007–2017 and how household type relates to outcomes in terms of living conditions and well-being – such as life satisfaction, the feeling of social exclusion and mental well-being. Changes in household structure have a potential impact on demand for public services and social benefits. The report also discusses the policy implications of changing household composition and recent policies responding to the increasing diversity of households. The report underlines the importance of recognition of diverse family forms, of the provision of social support, and of family policy measures complementing income support in reducing inequality of well-being among households. " (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Europäische Kommission. Generaldirektion Justiz und Verbraucher (2019): Report on equality between women and men in the EU 2019. (Report on equality between women and men), Brüssel, 76 S. DOI:10.2838/776419

Abstract

"On the occasion of this year's International Women's Day, the Commission has published its 2019 report on equality between women and men in the EU.
The report shows some progress in gender equality, but women still continue to face inequalities in many areas:
- The EU employment rate for women reached an all-time high of 66.4 % in 2017, but the situation differs across Member States. Last year, eight Member States received recommendations under the European Semester framework to improve female participation in the labour market (Austria, Czechia, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Slovakia).
- Women are more at risk of poverty, with salaries on average 16% lower than for men. This translates in the pension gap, which stood at 35.7 % in 2017. In some countries, more than 10 % of older women cannot afford necessary health care.
- Women remain largely under-represented in Parliaments and government. Only 6 of the 28 national parliaments across the EU are led by a woman and seven out of ten members of national parliaments in the EU are men. While the current level of 30.5 % female senior Ministers is the highest since data were first available for all EU Member States in 2004, there is still evidence suggesting that women tend to be allocated portfolios considered to have lower political priority.
- The glass-ceiling remains a reality in the business world with only 6.3 % of CEO positions in major publicly listed companies in the EU held by women." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cim, Merve & Anica Kramer (2018): Working women and labour market inequality. Research project for the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies. Final report. (RWI-Projektbericht), Essen, 54 S.

Abstract

"Ziel des Projektes ist es, einen umfassenden Überblick über die geschlechtsspezifische (Un)gleichheit auf europäischen Arbeitsmärkten zu geben. In einer deskriptiven Analyse wird dabei zunächst die Arbeitsmarktsituation von Frauen für alle EU Mitgliedsstaaten dargestellt. In detaillierten Fallstudien werden Faktoren identifiziert, die mögliche Unterschiede zwischen den Ländern erklären können. Insbesondere wird analysiert, inwieweit Bildungssysteme, der Zugang zu Kinderbetreuung, Steuerpolitiken sowie kulturelle und historische Normen mit der Arbeitsmarktpartizipation und der Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern korreliert sind. Basierend auf den Ergebnissen der Analysen werden mögliche Rückschlusse für die Wirtschaftspolitik gezogen sowie eine Reihe von ausgewählten Strategien abgeleitet, die auf EU- und einzelstaatlicher Ebene durchgeführt werden könnten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Baldini, Massimo, Constanza Torricelli & Maria Cesira Urzì Brancati (2018): Family ties: Labor supply responses to cope with a household employment shock. In: Review of Economics of the Household, Jg. 16, H. 3, S. 809-832. DOI:10.1007/s11150-017-9375-z

Abstract

"We use data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) to explore labor responses of individuals (not only the spouse) to a negative employment shock suffered by another household member. We focus on Italy where family ties other than spousal ones are particularly strong and grown up children live in their parents' household till late, especially when they are students. Two main results emerge. First, we find strong and robust evidence that households hit by an employment shock do respond by increasing labor supply. Second, we document an added worker effect that is affecting not only wives, but also teenage children and students independently of their age, with important policy implications in terms of human capital formation. Results are robust across gender, household financial conditions and the crisis, yet they do not point to differential reactions along these dimensions." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Castellano, Rosalia & Antonella Rocca (2018): Gender disparities in European labour markets. A comparison between female and male employees. In: International Labour Review, Jg. 157, H. 4, S. 589-608. DOI:10.1111/ilr.12052

Abstract

"In recent decades, the dramatic increase in female labour force participation was connected to significant changes in the economic opportunities reserved to women. However, gender disparities in the labour market still persist in many forms.
In this study we want to verify if in the European labour markets higher gender differentials are directly connected with bad economic conditions. Starting from the GGLMI, a composite indicator designed and developed by the authors in a previous study, besides updating the results, we construct other three composite indicators analysing separately female and male conditions in the labour market and the gender gap." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Chan, Jeff (2018): Does import competition worsen the gender gap? Evidence from matched employer-employee data. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 165, H. April, S. 13-16. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2018.01.024

Abstract

"Using Italian matched employer-employee-data, I examine how accounting for unobserved worker or firm heterogeneity can impact estimates of import competition's impact on industry-level gender wage gaps, and how this can be driven by changes in the composition of female workers and firms within affected industries. First, in wage regressions, I find that import competition lowers women's wages relative to men, but only in specifications that include worker or firm fixed effects. Accounting for these sources of heterogeneity matters because: (1) women that earn low wages are more likely than men to change industries or leave the sample, and (2) firms that employ women are more likely to exit and shrink due to import competition. My findings illustrate how, using data or methods that do not account for worker and firm heterogeneity, researchers can conclude that import competition can improve gender equality, when in fact gender equality is worsened." (Author's abstract, © 2018 Elsevier) ((en))

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Chung, Heejung (2018): Dualization and the access to occupational family-friendly working-time arrangements across Europe. In: Social policy and administration, Jg. 52, H. 2, S. 491-507. DOI:10.1111/spol.12379

Abstract

"This article examines outsiders' relative access to occupational level family-friendly policies. I use data from the European Working Conditions Survey of 2015 across 30 European countries examining workers' access to two types of family-friendly working-time arrangements (WTAs): flexitime, and time off work for personal reasons. The article focuses on women with care responsibilities given that their demands for family-friendly policies, as well as their outcomes, have been shown to be distinct from the rest of the working population. In addition to the outsider definition used in the labor market dualization and occupational segmentation literature, i.e., low-skilled workers and those without a permanent contract, this article also defines outsiders as those perceiving their job as insecure. The results of the analysis show a segmentation between workers in their access to family-friendly policies. Unlike statutory policies, occupational policies seem to be selectively provided mostly to workers where employers have a vested interest, i.e., insiders, resulting in a dualized system for most countries. However, rather than their contract status, the skill-level of the job/workers, and their perceived insecurity were found to be important. The results further show that although Northern European and some continental European countries are those where family-friendly WTAs are more readily available, it is in these countries where the division between insiders and outsiders is the greatest. The results of the article contribute to the literature by showing a need to move beyond the national level when examining family-friendly policies, and to examine a more diverse definition of outsiders when examining dualization of working conditions." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Cuberes, David & Marc Teignier (2018): Macroeconomic costs of gender gaps in a model with entrepreneurship and household production. In: The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, Jg. 18, H. 1, S. 1-15. DOI:10.1515/bejm-2017-0031

Abstract

"This paper examines the quantitative effects of gender gaps in entrepreneurship and workforce participation in an occupational choice model with a household sector and endogenous female labor supply. Gender gaps in workforce participation have a direct negative effect on market, while gender gaps in entrepreneurship affect negatively market output not only by reducing wages and labor force participation but also by reducing the average talent of entrepreneurs and aggregate productivity. We estimate the effects of these gender gaps for 37 European countries, as well as the United States, and find that gender gaps cause an average loss of 17.5% in market output and 13.2% in total output, which also includes household output. Interestingly, the total output loss would be similar (12%) in a model without household sector, since the market output loss is larger when the female labor supply is endogenous. Eastern Europe is the region with the lowest income fall due to gender gaps, while Southern Europe is the region with the largest fall. Northern Europe is the region with the largest productivity fall, which is due to the presence of high gender gaps in entrepreneurship." (Author's abstract, © De Gruyter) ((en))

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Daly, Mary & Emanuele Ferragina (2018): Family policy in high-income countries: Five decades of development. In: Journal of European social policy, Jg. 28, H. 3, S. 255-270. DOI:10.1177/0958928717735060

Abstract

"This article empirically traces trends in family policy in 23 high-income countries since the 1960s. A range of data on income supports for families with children, family-related leave and early childhood education and care are brought together and analysed. The results show that family policy has developed by layering, in terms of both content and time period. A 'foundational phase' is characterised by investment in cash and tax allowances for families and employment leave for mothers, while a 'consolidation phase' sees states adding to their family policy portfolio, especially through the diversification of family-related leave and augmentation of child-related care services, increasing their overall family policy expenditure and continuing to support families financially but with a preference to direct this through the tax system. There is no inexorable development path though, either within or across countries. A layering development pattern suggests that analysis of family policy over time needs to be oriented to examining both continuity and change and, as the conclusion makes clear, there are many fruitful lines of further research." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Day, Creina (2018): Inverse J effect of economic growth on fertility. A model of gender wages and maternal time substitution. In: Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Jg. 39, H. 4, S. 577-587. DOI:10.1007/s10834-018-9578-3

Abstract

"This paper presented a model where economic growth, via growth in female wages relative to male wages, encouraged households to raise paid female labor supply and have more children by substituting child care for maternal time. A threshold logarithm per capita output, above which fertility decline reverses, was predicted to depend on subsidized child care, maternity pay, and the value placed on children and maternal time spent rearing children. The predictions explained recent evidence and identified cross country differences in gender wages, family policy and willingness to substitute maternal time in childrearing as important factors in an inverse J-shaped effect of economic growth on fertility. The analysis was robust to the introduction of education and cost sharing among children in child rearing. Economies of scale in child rearing reduced the threshold logarithm of per capita output. Demand for child quality continued to rise with wages despite fertility decline reversal." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))