Gender und Arbeitsmarkt
Das Themendossier "Gender und Arbeitsmarkt" bietet wissenschaftliche und politiknahe Veröffentlichungen zu den Themen Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen und Männern, Müttern und Vätern, Berufsrückkehrenden, Betreuung/Pflege und Arbeitsteilung in der Familie, Work-Life-Management, Determinanten der Erwerbsbeteiligung, geschlechtsspezifische Lohnunterschiede, familien- und steuerpolitische Regelungen sowie Arbeitsmarktpolitik für Frauen und Männer.
Mit dem Filter „Autorenschaft“ können Sie auf IAB-(Mit-)Autorenschaft eingrenzen.
- Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen
- Erwerbsbeteiligung von Männern
- Kinderbetreuung und Pflege
- Berufliche Geschlechtersegregation
- Berufsrückkehr – Wiedereinstieg in den Arbeitsmarkt
- Dual-Career-Couples
- Work-Life
- Geschlechtsspezifische Lohnunterschiede
- Familienpolitische Rahmenbedingungen
- Aktive/aktivierende Arbeitsmarktpolitik
- Arbeitslosigkeit und passive Arbeitsmarktpolitik
- geografischer Bezug
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Literaturhinweis
Geschlechtergerecht gestalten: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik (2026)
Zitatform
Bothfeld, Silke, Christian Hohendanner, Petra Schütt & Aysel Yollu-Tok (Hrsg.) (2026): Geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik. Frankfurt: Campus Verlag, 471 S. DOI:10.12907/978-3-593-45932-5
Abstract
"Trotz zahlreicher Bemühungen und Erfolge in der Gleichstellungspolitik seit Ende der 1990er Jahre bestehen in der Praxis nach wie vor erhebliche geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Frauen haben nach wie vor geringere Erfolgsaussichten beim Zugang und beim Verbleib in Beschäftigung, ihre Bezahlung und ihre Aufstiegsmöglichkeiten sind schlechter. Die Beiträge dieses Bandes bieten einen umfassenden Überblick über die aktuelle geschlechtsbezogene Arbeits(marktpolitik-)forschung. Mit einem multiperspektivischen Blick auf den vergeschlechtlichten Arbeitsmarkt gelingt es dem Band, historische Aspekte, Gegenwartsanalysen sowie gesellschaftliche Transformationsprozesse und Lösungsansätze zu verbinden." (Verlagsangaben, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Einleitung: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer geschlechtergerechten Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik (2026)
Zitatform
Bothfeld, Silke, Christian Hohendanner, Petra Schütt & Aysel Yollu-Tok (2026): Einleitung: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer geschlechtergerechten Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik. In: S. Bothfeld, C. Hohendanner, P. Schütt & A. Yollu-Tok (Hrsg.) (2026): Geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik, S. 9-26.
Abstract
"Wer über Geschlechtergerechtigkeit spricht, kommt an der begrifflichen Unterscheidung zwischen Gleichberechtigung und Gleichstellungspolitik nicht vorbei. Diese Differenz ist grundlegend für das Verständnis politischer, sozialer und ökonomischer Maßnahmen zur Überwindung geschlechterbezogener Ungleichheiten. Gleichberechtigung meint die rechtlich garantierte Gleichheit von Frauen und Männern – wie sie etwa in Artikel 3 des Grundgesetzes verankert ist. Sie garantiert allen Menschen denselben Zugang zu Rechten: zum Bildungssystem, zum Arbeitsmarkt, zu politischen Ämtern. Doch so unverzichtbar diese rechtliche Grundlage ist, so unzureichend ist sie, wenn es um die tatsächliche Teilhabe in einer nach wie vor von struktureller Ungleichheit geprägten Gesellschaft geht. Hier setzt die Gleichstellungspolitik an: Sie begnügt sich nicht mit der formalen Gleichheit, sondern zielt auf faktische Chancengleichheit. Für die Gleichstellung der Geschlechter wurde daher im Artikel 3 Abs. 2 (»Männer und Frauen sind gleichberechtigt.«) 1994 der Zusatz aufgenommen »Der Staat fördert die tatsächliche Durchsetzung der Gleichberechtigung von Frauen und Männern und wirkt auf die Beseitigung bestehender Nachteile hin«. Die Gleichstellungspolitik soll in diesem Sinne bestehende Benachteiligungen – etwa beim Einkommen, bei der Verteilung von Sorgearbeit, beim Zugang zu Führungspositionen oder in den sozialen Sicherungssystemen – sichtbar machen und Instrumente entwickeln, um Ungleichheiten abzubauen. Gleichstellungspolitik bedeutet nicht Privilegierung oder Sonderbehandlung, sondern sie ist Ausdruck eines demokratischen Gestaltungsauftrags: Sie soll sicherstellen, dass Gleichberechtigung nicht nur auf dem Papier steht, sondern im gesellschaftlichen Alltag wirksam wird. Dieser Sammelband greift zentrale Fragen dieser Gestaltungsaufgabe im Rahmen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik auf und versammelt Beiträge, die sich mit geschlechterbezogenen Ungleichheiten am Arbeitsmarkt und im Sozialstaat befassen – empirisch fundiert, theoretisch reflektiert und mit einem gemeinsamen Ziel: Geschlechtergerechtigkeit nicht nur zu fordern, sondern Hinweise und Vorschläge für die Gestaltung von konkreten Strukturen und politischen Maßnahmen zu präsentieren." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Flexible Work Arrangements and Occupational Class: Fathers Navigating Childcare Responsibilities (2026)
Zitatform
Brega, Carla (2026): Flexible Work Arrangements and Occupational Class: Fathers Navigating Childcare Responsibilities. In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 33, H. 3, S. 1053-1064. DOI:10.1111/gwao.70111
Abstract
"When using flexible work arrangements for caregiving, fathers risk deviating from both social expectations of breadwinning and ideal worker standards, yet implications of this divergence across different occupational classes remain unclear. Using 40 semi-structured interviews with fathers from the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, and the UK, this study explores and compares the negotiated use of flexible working arrangements (FWAs) for care among managerial-professional fathers and fathers in routine white-collar and blue-collar occupations. Employing abductive analysis within a constructivist grounded theory framework, the article delves into how fathers from different work-related backgrounds navigate the tension between their paid work (in)flexibility and their childcare involvement. Results show evidence of occupational-class differences in two key areas: Varying degrees of access to and use of FWAs for care; and navigating work and family dedication, including how fathers deal with competing commitments and what using flexibility implies for the tension between expectations of being both involved fathers and dedicated workers. At a higher level of abstraction, these contribute to theorization of a class-based double bind of fatherhood and flexibility, providing a much-needed view of how working fathers navigate the complexities of (gendered) organizational structures. Finally, implications are discussed, including organizational support addressing occupational-class barriers to FWAs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Pay Gap and Cultural Values (2026)
Zitatform
Burns, Natasha, Kristina Minnick, Jeffry Netter & Laura Starks (2026): Gender Pay Gap and Cultural Values. In: Journal of financial and quantitative analysis, Jg. 61, H. 1, S. 511-546. DOI:10.1017/s0022109025000183
Abstract
"Employing a cross-country sample, we examine how a population’s underlying cultural values help explain gender compensation variation across corporate executives. The results show that the cultural differences embedded in societies long before the board’s compensation decisions have significant explanatory power for the observed gender gap in executive compensation. Using an Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition combined with variables previously shown to be fundamental determinants of executive compensation, we find that adding cultural measures increases the model’s explanatory power of the gender compensation gap from 44% to 95%. We use further identification strategies to support causal inference." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Berufliche Geschlechtersegregation in Deutschland: Entwicklungen, Erklärungen, regionale und qualifikatorische Unterschiede (2026)
Zitatform
Bächmann, Ann-Christin, Michaela Fuchs, Volker Kotte & Brigitte Schels (2026): Berufliche Geschlechtersegregation in Deutschland: Entwicklungen, Erklärungen, regionale und qualifikatorische Unterschiede. In: S. Bothfeld, C. Hohendanner, P. Schütt & A. Yollu-Tok (Hrsg.) (2026): Geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik, S. 175-190, 2025-02-10.
Abstract
"Die berufliche Geschlechtersegregation erweist sich als zentrales und persistentes Charakteristikum des deutschen Arbeitsmarktes. Geschlecht fungiert als soziale Ordnungsstruktur im Prozess der Berufswahl und des Matching von Personen zu Stellen (Buchmann/Kriesi 2012). Wirtschaftliche und gesamtgesellschaftliche Entwicklungen der letzten Jahrzehnte konnten zwar zu einer leichten Reduzierung der Segregation beitragen, die berufliche Trennung von Männern und Frauen aber bei weitem nicht auflösen. Sie variiert zudem stark zwischen Regionen und Qualifikationsniveaus. Der Überwindung der beruflichen Geschlechtersegregation wird eine Schlüsselrolle für die Bewältigung der Herausforderungen im Wandel der Arbeitswelt zugeschrieben (Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften/Union der deutschen Akademien der Wissenschaften 2024). Gerade vor dem Hintergrund steigender Fachkräftebedarfe müssen politische Handlungsmöglichkeiten zur Reduzierung beruflicher Geschlechtersegregation stärker ausgeschöpft werden. Gesellschaftlich wäre dieses Ziel zudem erstrebenswert, um jungen Menschen eine »freie Berufswahl« nach Talenten und Interessen zu ermöglichen, die nicht von Geschlechterstereotypen beschränkt wird. Politische Stellschrauben zu identifizieren, gestaltet sich vor dem komplexen Zusammenspiel unterschiedlicher Faktoren, wie Geschlechterstereotypen, Rollenvorstellungen, Interessen und Präferenzen, die in Angebot und Nachfrage hineinwirken, als herausfordernd. Bisherige Initiativen wie etwa der girls’ day oder boys’ day zeigen wenig Wirkung, was mitunter auch daran liegen mag, dass sie relativ spät in der Jugend ansetzen, wenn Vorstellungen zur Geschlechtstypik von Berufen schon geprägt wurden (siehe auch Jeanrenaud in diesem Band). Empirisch zeigt sich, dass bspw. Rollenvorbilder einen Beitrag leisten können, um Segregationsmuster zu durchbrechen (Beckmann u.a. 2023). Zudem könnte mehr Durchlässigkeit im Bildungssystem, etwa zwischen beruflicher und hochschulischer Bildung, Möglichkeiten eröffnen, frühe geschlechtstypische Entscheidungen zu revidieren (Imdorf u.a. 2016). Auch die Adaption der Arbeitsbedingungen und -organisation in segregierten Berufsfeldern kann ein Ansatzpunkt sein, bspw. könnte eine bessere Bezahlung in Pflegeberufen diesen Bereich auch für junge Männer attraktiver machen. Mit Blick in die Zukunft ist abzuwarten, wie sich die zentralen Arbeitsmarktentwicklungen der kommenden Jahre auf die berufliche Trennung von Männern und Frauen auswirken. Neben dem Fachkräftemangel könnten gerade die zunehmende Digitalisierung von Arbeitsprozessen und Tätigkeiten sowie die Entwicklung neuer Berufe in der sogenannten »neuen Arbeitswelt« zusätzliche Dynamik in die berufliche Trennung der Geschlechter bringen. Erste Erkenntnisse verweisen jedoch darauf, dass diese Entwicklungen bekannte Geschlechterunterschiede eher reproduzieren als verringern (z.B. Genz/Schnabel 2023; Petroff/Fierro 2023). Zentral wird es sein, auch in Zukunft die Entwicklung der beruflichen Geschlechtersegregation und ihre Ursachen und Auswirkungen empirisch zu untersuchen und die Ergebnisse im gesamtgesellschaftlichen Diskurs zu berücksichtigen." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Gender and Parenthood Differences in Work Time Fragmentation in the United States: The Moderating Role of Occupational Class (2026)
Zitatform
Cui, Sizhan, Zhuofei Lu & Senhu Wang (2026): Gender and Parenthood Differences in Work Time Fragmentation in the United States: The Moderating Role of Occupational Class. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 182, H. 1. DOI:10.1007/s11205-026-03815-x
Abstract
"Work time fragmentation refers to the number of distinct work episodes in a day, indicating disruptions in work schedules and the degree of workday fragmentation. With the expansion of flexible labor markets in the U.S., work time fragmentation has become more prevalent. Although gender and parenthood differences in labor market outcomes and family responsibilities are well studied, their manifestation in work time fragmentation remains underexplored. Using data from the American Time Use Survey 2003–2023 and OLS regression models, this study is the first to examine gender and parenthood differences in work time fragmentation and their variation by occupational class. Findings indicate that women experience greater fragmentation than men. For women, those with dependent children, particularly those with young children, show greater fragmentation than women without coresidential children. This pattern is most pronounced among those in higher occupational classes. For men, there is no evidence showing that there is a difference in work time fragmentation intensity by parenthood status or occupational class. The findings underscore the importance of equitable parental leave, shared caregiving responsibilities, and supportive workplace structures in addressing these dynamics and promoting equity in work-family relationships." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Inequalities in early childcare strategies: Evidence from Dutch administrative data (2026)
Zitatform
Emery, Tom (2026): Inequalities in early childcare strategies: Evidence from Dutch administrative data. In: Advances in life course research, Jg. 67. DOI:10.1016/j.alcr.2026.100727
Abstract
"This study examines whether the well-documented socioeconomic gradient in formal childcare use is reflected in the timing, sequencing, and stability of childcare and employment strategies following the critical life course transition to parenthood. While higher-SES parents are consistently more likely to use formal childcare, the reasons for this disparity remain poorly understood principally due to data limitations and the complexity of household dynamics. Drawing on linked Dutch administrative data (2010–2019), we use multichannel sequence analysis to identify distinct “childcare strategies” across the first four years of children’s lives, capturing monthly trajectories of formal childcare use and parental employment. A subsequent multinomial regression models the association between these strategies and socioeconomic status. The results reveal wide variation in the stability, intensity, and timing of formal childcare use, closely intertwined with maternal employment patterns. Children from lower-SES households are more likely to experience complex, fragmented, and fragile childcare trajectories—characterized by delayed entry, irregular usage, and lower alignment with stable employment—confirming and extending findings from prior qualitative research. By quantifying these patterns across a full population cohort, the study demonstrates how childcare complexity itself reflects and reinforces broader social inequalities. We conclude that childcare policies must move beyond affordability to address accessibility, stability, and administrative complexity—particularly for parents with low incomes, precarious jobs, or self-employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
“I Became a Dad, and It Wasn’t Just All About Work Anymore”: A Qualitative Study of Australian Fathers’ Work-Family Balance (2026)
Hokke, Stacey ; Love, Jasmine ; Leach, Liana ; Bennetts, Shannon K.; Riley, Diana; Crawford, Sharinne B.; Nicholson, Jan M. ; Cooklin, Amanda R.;Zitatform
Hokke, Stacey, Jasmine Love, Diana Riley, Liana Leach, Shannon K. Bennetts, Sharinne B. Crawford, Jan M. Nicholson & Amanda R. Cooklin (2026): “I Became a Dad, and It Wasn’t Just All About Work Anymore”: A Qualitative Study of Australian Fathers’ Work-Family Balance. In: Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Jg. 47, H. 1, S. 95-113. DOI:10.1007/s10834-026-10078-8
Abstract
"Despite fathers’ increased involvement in parenting and the introduction of family-friendly workplace policies in Australia (i.e., flexible work, parental leave), fathers’ employment patterns have been resistant to change and work-family conflict remains prevalent. This study explored fathers’ perceptions and experiences of work-family balance, workplace policies and wellbeing, including before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 fathers between 2019 and 2021 and analyzed thematically. Findings illustrate the complexities of balancing work and family and the varied ways workplaces helped (or hindered) fathers to care for their children through access to flexible work and parental leave, and family-(un)friendly cultures. Fathers valued time with their children and retained jobs aligned with these values; however, achieving balance and negotiating work-care arrangements were ongoing processes for fathers and families. Fathers described how workplace flexibility benefitted their parenting and parent–child relationships, although views about how work shaped fathers’ wellbeing were mixed. This study contributes anuanced understanding of the unique work-family challenges that shape the lives of Australian fathers and offers insight into how organizations can provide more equal opportunities for fathers to engage in work and care." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Daddy's (not) home: work and gender-related factors in men's attitudes towards shared parental leave (2026)
Zitatform
Holloway, Victoria G., Rashpal K. Dhensa-Kahlon & T. Alexandra Beauregard (2026): Daddy's (not) home: work and gender-related factors in men's attitudes towards shared parental leave. In: Community, work & family, Jg. 29, H. 1, S. 51-71. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2024.2345872
Abstract
"Uptake of Shared Parental Leave (SPL) in the UK remains poor, with fewer than 2% of eligible fathers utilising the policy since its introduction in 2015. With limited extant research addressing the policy, reasons behind the low level of uptake remain unclear. Specifically, the role of work (family supportive organisation perceptions [FSOP]) and gender-related factors (perceived social identity threat and traditional gender role orientation) in men’s attitudes towards SPL have been largely overlooked. This study sought to identify the extent to which work and gender-related factors influenced employed men’s attitudes towards SPL, utilising social role theory to understand the mechanisms underpinning these relationships. A survey of 120 employed men captured attitudes towards SPL, traditional gender role orientation, perceived social identity threat, and FSOP. Results showed that perceived social identity threat was positively associated with traditional gender role orientation, which was, in turn, the mechanism through which FSOP and perceived social identity threat affected attitudes towards SPL. At low levels, FSOP moderated the relationship between perceived social identity threat and traditional gender role orientation, but did not moderate the indirect effect between perceived threat and attitudes towards SPL. Theoretical contributions and recommendations for organisations to improve workplace gender equality are discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
State-level gender inequality and couples’ relative earnings following parenthood over four decades (2026)
Zitatform
Musick, Kelly & Wonjeong Jeong (2026): State-level gender inequality and couples’ relative earnings following parenthood over four decades. In: Social science research, Jg. 135. DOI:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103302
Abstract
"We draw from gender perspectives on the division of labor and emerging research on structural sexism to empirically evaluate how systemic gender inequality shapes within-couple earnings inequality at the turning point of parenthood. Our data on pre- and post-birth earnings come from successive couple-level panels of the Current Population Survey over four decades (1982–2020, N = 87,694 couples and 175,388 couple-observations), merged to state-level indicators of gender inequality spanning the same time period that tap the devaluation of work done by women across multiple domains. Results from fixed effect models suggest that state-level gender inequality shapes couples' responses to parenthood in meaningful ways, with steeper declines in wives' relative earnings among new parents living in states that place lower value on women's work. The estimated effect of sexism is gendered, operating through wives' earnings. It persists through the early childbearing years and across decades, and it varies little by measures of couples' social advantage. Evidence that structural sexism exacerbates earnings inequality among parents is robust, with implications for mothers' economic vulnerability and well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How Public Investments in Childcare Mitigate Childbirth Effects on Employment Transitions by Skill Level in Europe: Special Issue: Bringing the Ecological and the Social Together in the Green Transition: A Multilevel Analysis (2026)
Zitatform
Plavgo, Ilze (2026): How Public Investments in Childcare Mitigate Childbirth Effects on Employment Transitions by Skill Level in Europe. Special Issue: Bringing the Ecological and the Social Together in the Green Transition: A Multilevel Analysis. In: Regulation and governance, Jg. 20, H. 2, S. 635-651. DOI:10.1111/rego.70116
Abstract
"Public investments in childcare generally improve parents' employment chances, yet evidence on their magnitude, cross-national variation, and social distribution remains mixed. This study examines how public spending on early childhood education and care (ECEC) moderates post-childbirth employment attachment across Europe. Using longitudinal EU-SILC microdata for 26 countries (2003–2020) combined with social policy indicators, multilevel mixed-effects models trace within-person employment changes before and 2 years after childbirth by gender, skill level, and country context. Results show that childbirth substantially reduces women's employment probabilities, but higher public ECEC investment mitigates this decline by supporting re-entry into employment. At above-average spending levels, employment returns to pre-childbirth levels within 2 years, whereas recovery remains limited where ECEC investments are lower. The pattern holds across skill groups and welfare regimes, except in the Nordic countries, where low-skilled mothers benefit more. Findings underscore the role of ECEC investment in sustaining labor force participation in Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Nonstandard work schedules and work-life balance in dual-earner households: The role of parenthood (2026)
Zitatform
Resendez, Sarahi, Jianghong Li & Matthias Pollmann-Schult (2026): Nonstandard work schedules and work-life balance in dual-earner households: The role of parenthood. In: Journal of Family Research, Jg. 38, S. 1-22. DOI:10.20377/jfr-1259
Abstract
"Objective: This study examines whether nonstandard work schedules (NSWS) improve or hinder work-life balance (WLB) for parents and non-parents in dual-earner households. Background: Previous research shows that NSWS can negatively affect workers' well-being. However, less is known about whether and to what extent these effects differ between parents and childless individuals. Method: Using data from the first wave of the German Family Demography Panel Study (FReDA), linear regression models are applied to assess whether the effect of NSWS on WLB is influenced by family circumstances. Results: Parenthood is generally associated with lower WLB. However, the negative association between NSWS and WLB is more pronounced among childless workers. Notably, mothers of young children (ages 0-5), as well as fathers of school-aged children (ages 6-12) working NSWS report higher WLB than their childless counterparts. Conclusion: Parents with NSWS in dual-earner households do not necessarily experience lower WLB than childless workers. In some cases, NSWS may even help parents better reconcile work and family responsibilities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gendered Attitudes or Structural Barriers? Men Front Line Workers' Perspectives on What Keeps Men out of Paid Care Work in Australia (2026)
Zitatform
Roberts, Steven, Elsie Foeken, Karla Elliott & Riikka Prattes (2026): Gendered Attitudes or Structural Barriers? Men Front Line Workers' Perspectives on What Keeps Men out of Paid Care Work in Australia. In: The British journal of sociology, S. 1-11. DOI:10.1111/1468-4446.70086
Abstract
"Gender segregation in paid care work offers a critical lens for understanding how gender inequality is reproduced in contemporary societies. While much research has explained men's absence from paid care through cultural and identity-based accounts, less has been done to examine the structural mechanisms that sustain the feminisation of care. This paper addresses that gap by analysing men's experiences in frontline aged and disability care in Australia. Drawing on qualitative data from 41 men across 13 focus groups and 32 follow-up interviews, we find that anxiety around maintaining masculine identities is not a significant barrier. Gender operates primarily through structural and informational processes that make care work insecure, undervalued, and poorly understood. These challenges reflect the gendered devaluation of feminised labour, but are not primarily rooted in masculine identity conflict. We suggest that greater analytic attention to structural barriers is needed, alongside existing insights into identity and agency." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
“A good mother can't—But a good father should?” Cross‐ and within‐country differences in attitudes toward parents' full‐time work in 26 European countries (2026)
Zitatform
Salin, Milla, Mia Tammelin, Katri Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta & Henna Isoniemi (2026): “A good mother can't—But a good father should?” Cross‐ and within‐country differences in attitudes toward parents' full‐time work in 26 European countries. In: International Journal of Social Welfare, Jg. 35, H. 1. DOI:10.1111/ijsw.70057
Abstract
"Regardless of the rise of egalitarian parenting, maternal and paternal roles are subject to different expectations, shaped by cultural and institutional factors. We examine levels of (dis)approval of parents' full-time work in 26 European countries and ask: Do attitudes toward mothers' and fathers' full-time work vary across countries? What are the sociodemographic, cultural, and family policy-related institutional factors that explain these attitudes? To what extent can the gender arrangement framework help to understand differences in attitudes toward full-time working parents? Data from the 2018 European Social Survey was analyzed using cross-tabulation and multilevel analysis. Results reveal that the ideal of motherhood continues to be culturally more contested than that of fatherhood. Individual-level sociodemographic factors are more relevant to attitudes toward mothers' than to fathers' full-time work, while country-level factors connected to gender, work culture, and family policy are similar in their effects on attitudes toward mothers' and fathers' full-time work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Life-Cycle Effects of Public Childcare: Evidence on Children and Their Parents (2026)
Silliman, Mikko; Mäkinen, Juuso;Zitatform
Silliman, Mikko & Juuso Mäkinen (2026): Life-Cycle Effects of Public Childcare: Evidence on Children and Their Parents. (CESifo working paper 12372), München, 102 S.
Abstract
"This paper provides large-scale evidence linking the economic effects of childcare programs to social skills measured in adulthood. We examine Finland's first national public childcare program, and document that it increased parental labor supply - through retirement - while reducing the intergenerational persistence of income. Critically, we leverage Finnish Defence Forces data on the near population of males to show that effects on children's adult income are underlied by lasting effects on social skills. Further, we show that life-cycle cost-effectiveness estimates based on the assumption of constant effects after typical observation windows can considerably overestimate the net costs of public childcare." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Division of Labor Over the Life Course: Structural or Symbolic Pressures? (2026)
Zitatform
Tabor, Jaclyn A., Cassie Mead, Jamie Oslawski-Lopez & Rebecca K. Grady (2026): Division of Labor Over the Life Course: Structural or Symbolic Pressures? In: Journal of Marriage and Family, Jg. 88, H. 2, S. 425-441. DOI:10.1111/jomf.70023
Abstract
"Objective: Do structural or symbolic pressures, as measured by work-family transitions, play a greater role in determining the gendered division of household labor? Background: Scholars explain gendered divisions of household labor using structural (i.e., resource allocation; time availability) and symbolic explanations (i.e., gender as a social institution; doing gender). We concurrently tested these theories through the lens of major work–family transitions, which have been shown to impact household labor in previous research. Method: We used two nationally representative, longitudinal datasets: The Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) to understand how work-family transitions impact male and female partners' household labor hours, as well as the proportion of housework performed by female partners. To do this, we used fixed effects models (PSID), lagged dependent variable models, and first difference change score models (NSFH). Results: We found that parenthood and work transitions, transitions that exert structural pressure, were associated with female partners' proportion of housework. On the other hand, the transition from cohabitation to marriage and relationship tenure, measures that are more symbolic in nature, did not significantly impact male or female partners' household labor. Conclusion: Overall, the structural pressures underlying work-family transitions appear to play a larger role in determining the division of household labor as compared to symbolic pressures." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Parental Leave: Economic Incentives and Cultural Change (2025)
Albrecht, James ; Edin, Per-Anders ; Fernandez, Raquel; Vroman, Susan ; Thoursie, Peter; Lee, Jiwon;Zitatform
Albrecht, James, Per-Anders Edin, Raquel Fernandez, Jiwon Lee, Peter Thoursie & Susan Vroman (2025): Parental Leave: Economic Incentives and Cultural Change. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20541), London, 57 S.
Abstract
"The distribution of parental leave uptake and childcare activities continues to conform to traditional gender roles. In 2002, with the goal of increasing gender equality, Sweden added a second “daddy month,” i.e., an additional month of pay-related parental leave reserved exclusively for each parent. This policy increased men’s parental leave uptake and decreased women’s, thereby increasing men’s share. To understand how various factors contributed to these outcomes, we develop and estimate a quantitative model of the household in which preferences towards parental leave respond to peer behavior. We distinguish households by the education of the parents and ask the model to match key features of the parental leave distribution before and after the reform by gender and household type (the parents’ education). We find that changed incentives and, especially, changed social norms played an important role in generating these outcomes whereas changed wage parameters, including the future wage penalty associated with different lengths of parental leave uptake, were minor contributors. We then use our model to evaluate three counterfactual policies designed to increase men’s share of parental leave and conclude that giving each parent a non-transferable endowment of parental leave or only paying for the length of time equally taken by each parent would both dramatically increase men’s share whereas decreasing childcare costs has almost no effect." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Dependent insurance coverage and parental job lock: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act (2025)
Bae, Hannah; Meckel, Katherine; Shi, Maggie;Zitatform
Bae, Hannah, Katherine Meckel & Maggie Shi (2025): Dependent insurance coverage and parental job lock: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act. In: Journal of Public Economics, Jg. 248. DOI:10.1016/j.jpubeco.2025.105439
Abstract
"Coverage for dependents is a standard feature of employer-sponsored insurance. While prior work shows that employees trade off job mobility for their own coverage, less is known about the intra-family spillovers of dependent coverage on parental labor supply. We study this question using a large panel of employer-based insurance claims that links dependent enrollment to a proxy for parental job retention. We use a regression discontinuity design that exploits a sharp change in the duration of dependent eligibility by birth month under the Affordable Care Act. We find that additional dependent insurance eligibility increases both dependent take-up and parental job retention. This “job lock” effect is strongest among parents more likely to be on the margin of a job exit, for families that place higher value on dependent coverage, and employees of firms offering a broader range of insurance options." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s).Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
When Mothers Out-Earn Fathers: Effects on Fathers' Decisions to Take Paternity and Parental Leave (2025)
Zitatform
Biasi, Paola, Maria De Paola & Francesca Gioia (2025): When Mothers Out-Earn Fathers: Effects on Fathers' Decisions to Take Paternity and Parental Leave. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17601), Bonn, 36 S.
Abstract
"This study investigates the influence of the male breadwinner norm on fathers' decisions regarding childcare responsibilities. We study the complex interplay between economic factors and gender norms in shaping the division of household labor within families by analyzing the impact a breadwinning mother has on fathers' choices regarding paternity leave (fully subsidized) and parental leave (partially or not subsidized). We exploit administrative data, provided by the Italian National Security Institute (INPS), including demographic and working characteristics of both parents together with information on the use of paternity and parental leave by fathers in the 2013-2023 period. We find that, in line with the "doing gender" hypothesis, when the leave is fully subsidized, as for paternity leave, fathers are less likely to engage in childcare when their wives earn more than they do. In contrast, this dynamic does not apply in cases of parental leave, where the economic costs of aligning with the gender norm are substantial. The effects we find are robust when replacing the actual probability of there being an out-earning mother with the potential probability and are amplified by the salience of the gender identity norm." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Supporting men as fathers: the value of a UK community dads’ project during the COVID-19 pandemic (2025)
Zitatform
Blackwell, Ian & Rebecca Carter Dillon (2025): Supporting men as fathers: the value of a UK community dads’ project during the COVID-19 pandemic. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-22. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2575164
Abstract
"This paper presents a study of a community dads’ project during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were gathered via a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and by attending eleven on-line Conversation Cafés. Men described how the project supported and affirmed their fathering practices as they were able to speak with other father figures about their challenges, to celebrate the rewards of parenting, and to socialise with others. Participants described how their confidence was enhanced and their identity as a father was validated through successful solo parenting activities, opportunities to bond with their child, by creating shared memories, and by being playful and physically active. While the community dads’ project offered welcoming and inclusive spaces for father figures to interact with their children and other dads, we note how these ‘dads only’ settings can be locations where mothers can be ‘othered’ as fretful and fussy by some individuals. While highlighting the need to be alert to the potential for such initiatives to become spaces for problematic counter-identification with the maternal, this research concludes that non-judgemental, community-based initiatives can nurture and strengthen father–child relationships, promote caring masculinities, fortify progressive fathering identities and encourage peer validation amongst fathers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Effect of Separation on Poverty and Employment (2025)
Zitatform
Broadway, Barbara & Guyonne Kalb (2025): The Effect of Separation on Poverty and Employment. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18343), Bonn, 75 S.
Abstract
"Using 2001–2021 HILDA survey data, this paper estimates how separation or divorce affects poverty and employment trajectories over five years after the event. A difference-in-differences approach compares separated individuals with couples who stayed together, accounting for recent and long-term labour market history prior to separation. Women with preschool children face a 19.9 percentage point higher poverty risk in the first year, which fades within three years. Women with older or no children experience smaller but longer-lasting poverty increases. Pre-separation employment strongly moderates effects: non-employed women face much higher poverty risks than employed women who have similar poverty risks to men. Men's poverty impacts are smaller and shorter-lived. Separation barely changes women's employment but slightly reduces men's employment, especially those with preschool children." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Väter, die länger in Elternzeit sind, arbeiten auch längerfristig weniger (Serie "Equal Pay Day 2025") (2025)
Zitatform
Bächmann, Ann-Christin, Andreas Filser & Corinna Frodermann (2025): Väter, die länger in Elternzeit sind, arbeiten auch längerfristig weniger (Serie "Equal Pay Day 2025"). In: IAB-Forum H. 07.04.2025. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20250407.01
Abstract
"Die Verdienste von Vätern, die nach der Geburt ihres ersten Kindes Elternzeit nehmen, steigen in den darauffolgenden Jahren im Schnitt etwas langsamer als die Verdienste von Vätern, die auf Elternzeit verzichten. Dies hängt stark damit zusammen, dass insbesondere Väter, die mehr als zwei Monate in Elternzeit gehen, danach zum Beispiel häufiger in Teilzeit arbeiten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Beliefs and Realities of Work and Care After Childbirth (2025)
Zitatform
Caplin, Andrew, Søren Leth-Petersen & Christopher Tonetti (2025): Beliefs and Realities of Work and Care After Childbirth. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20423), London, 32 S.
Abstract
"Models of female labor supply routinely assume that women have accurate expectations about post-birth employment, but little is known about whether this assumption holds. We use a 2019 state-contingent survey of 11,000 Danish women linked to administrative data to compare pre-birth beliefs to realized outcomes. Mothers accurately anticipate long-run return to work but systematically overestimate how soon it will occur. Miscalibration stems from two belief errors—about partner leave and own labor supply—which interact and persist even among second-time mothers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Ähnliche Treffer
auch erschienen als: NBER working paper 34289 -
Literaturhinweis
The Effects of Extended Parental Benefits on Parents’ Employment and Earnings in Canada (2025)
Zitatform
Choi, Youjin, Rachel Margolis & Anders Holm (2025): The Effects of Extended Parental Benefits on Parents’ Employment and Earnings in Canada. In: Demography, Jg. 62, H. 3, S. 879-898. DOI:10.1215/00703370-11958785
Abstract
"Paid parental benefits, with individually earmarked time for mothers and fathers, aim to promote gender equality in labor force participation, wages, and childcare. The Canadian province of Québec expanded parental benefits over and above the federal policy in 2006 with the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP), which introduced paid paternity leave and lower eligibility criteria as its key features. This policy aimed to increase gender equality by encouraging fathers to use parental benefits and expanding coverage to low-income parents. Using Canadian administrative data and exploiting the policy changes in 2006 as a natural experiment, we examine the effects of Québec's extended parental benefits policy on parents’ employment and earnings over 10 years after the transition to parenthood. First, we find that fathers’ use of parental benefits had positive long-run effects on mothers’ and fathers’ earnings 8–10 years after a first birth. Second, we find that among women with low earnings before the transition to parenthood, QPIP increased the likelihood of employment 1–7 years after a first birth. This article provides the first evidence that a policy dramatically expanding parental benefits and encouraging use among both parents can have long-term positive effects on parents’ labor market outcomes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Can Paternity Leave Reduce the Gender Earnings Gap? (2025)
Zitatform
Diallo, Yaya, Fabian Lange & Laetitia Renée (2025): Can Paternity Leave Reduce the Gender Earnings Gap? (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17624), Bonn, 38 S.
Abstract
"This paper examines the impact of paternity leave on the gender gap in labor market outcomes. Utilizing administrative data from Canadian tax records, we analyze the introduction of Quebec's 2006 paternity leave policy, which offers five weeks of paid leave exclusively to fathers. Using mothers and fathers of children born around the reform, we estimate how the policy impacted labor market outcomes up to 10 years following birth. The reform significantly increased fathers' uptake of parental leave and reduced their earnings immediately after the reform. However, in the medium to long-run, we find that the reform did not impact earnings, employment, or the probability of being employed in a high-wage industry for either parent. We for instance find a 95%-CI for the effect on average female earnings 3-10 years following the reform ranging from -2.2 to +1.7%. Estimates of effects on other outcomes and for males are similarly precise zeros. There is likewise no evidence that the reform changed social norms around care-taking and family responsibilities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Towards more gender equal parental time allocation: Norway, 1980–2010 (2025)
Zitatform
Ellingsæter, Anne Lise & Ragni Hege Kitterød (2025): Towards more gender equal parental time allocation: Norway, 1980–2010. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2521059
Abstract
"Research indicates a converging trend in how mothers and fathers allocate their time across Western societies, leading to a narrowing of gender gaps. Our case study, spanning three decades in the social democratic welfare state of Norway, offers new insights into the long-term processes that might drive these gender convergence trends. Data for this study were drawn from time-use surveys conducted between 1980 and 2010. This exploration of changing time allocation differentiates between mothers and fathers at various stages of parenthood, across different time periods and examines time devoted to work (including paid work, unpaid work, and total workload) as well as non-work (such as leisure and personal needs/rest). The gradual but uneven removal of institutional and cultural constraints – facilitated by the strengthening of egalitarian earner-caregiver policies and norms – was accompanied by significant shifts in how successive Generations of parents allocated their time. Over the decades, mothers’ and fathers’ time allocation became more similar, particularly in the 2000s. Notably, the equalization of time use was especially prominent among parents of preschool-aged children. However, among these parents, the total workload increased, resulting in less leisure time for both mothers and fathers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Paternity leave in Spain (2025)
Zitatform
Farré, Lídia, Libertad González, Claudia Hupkau & Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela (2025): Paternity leave in Spain. In: SERIEs, Jg. 16, H. 3-4, S. 749-784. DOI:10.1007/s13209-025-00320-1
Abstract
"Between 2017 and 2021, Spain progressively extended paternity leave from 2 to 16 weeks, equalizing it with maternity leave and introducing mandatory weeks. A 2018 reform also allowed fathers to split their leave. Using administrative data on all leave permits since 2016, we analyze trends in paternity leave take-up. Following the introduction of mandatory leave, the share of fathers taking leave increased by around 20 percentage points, and most now use nearly the full entitlement. The share opting to split leave has steadily grown, surpassing 50% by 2023. However, this behavior shows marked heterogeneity: While overall uptake is uniform across groups, leave-splitting is far more common among higher-income fathers and more prevalent in certain sectors. Spain’s experience illustrates how policy design can significantly increase paternity leave usage, though workplace flexibility and income-related constraints shape how fathers use that time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Perceived fairness and legitimacy of parental workplace discrimination (2025)
Zitatform
Gerich, Joachim & Martina Beham-Rabanser (2025): Perceived fairness and legitimacy of parental workplace discrimination. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-27. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2453175
Abstract
"Parental discrimination has been shown to be related to several risks, including impaired health, increased job stress, and decreased job satisfaction, which calls for increased awareness of parental discrimination. This paper analyzes fairness and legitimacy judgments of unequal treatment based on parental status at work and the antecedents that influence these judgments. Stereotypes of symbolic vilification that suggest lower commitment due to caring responsibilities, and symbolic amplification, which refers to rational economic organizational needs, are expected to rationalize discrimination. Moreover, we expect specific values and ideologies to be related to judgments of fairness and legitimacy, mediated by resonance with symbolic vilification and amplification. Analyses are based on survey data from a sample of employees aged between 20 and 45 years (n = 376). Respondents' evaluations of parental discrimination were measured using two fictional cases. The results suggest that greater acceptance of vilifying and amplifying justifications is triggered by a stronger preference for the ideal worker norm and traditional gender role expectations. Women tend to view discrimination as more unfair and illegitimate than men, while men's judgments are more strongly driven by economic reasoning." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Women's labor market opportunities and equality in the household (2025)
Zitatform
Grönqvist, Erik, Yoko Okuyama, Lena Hensvik & Anna Thoresson (2025): Women's labor market opportunities and equality in the household. (Working papers / Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy 2025,11), Uppsala, 57 S.
Abstract
"We study how changes in couples’ relative wages affect the division of childcare.Using a nationwide wage reform that raised pay in the female-dominated teaching profession, we find that closing 25% of the earnings gap between female teachers and their male spouses led to a 12% reduction in the childcare time gap. This result holds when we extend the analysis to major pay raises for women at the population level. Data support the mechanism that women reduce their childcare time when the spouse can step in by working more from home. Policies that address female pay can foster household equality if men have access to flexible work arrangements." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Economic uncertainty and men's fertility: analysing the 2010s fertility decline in Finland by field of education and employment characteristics (2025)
Zitatform
Hellstrand, Julia, Jessica Nisén & Mikko Myrskylä (2025): Economic uncertainty and men's fertility: analysing the 2010s fertility decline in Finland by field of education and employment characteristics. (MPIDR working paper / Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research 2025-001), Rostock, 38 S. DOI:10.4054/MPIDR-WP-2025-001
Abstract
"In the Nordic countries, the total fertility rate (TFR) fell sharply in the 2010s, and increasing disparities in childbearing outcomes across different levels and fields of education have been documented in previous research. However, the role of economic uncertainty in shaping these fertility trends is not well understood. This study examines the male fertility decline in Finland during the 2010s, focusing on how fertility levels and trends vary by field of education and the economic uncertainty associated with these fields. Using full population register data, the analysis explores total fertility rates (TFR) and the expected shares of men having a first birth (TFRp1) across 122 detailed education groups. We find that fertility declines were stronger in fields with initially lower fertility levels, such as ICT, arts, and humanities, and weaker in fields like health, teaching, and agriculture. Weighted linear regression was used to analyse the association between characteristics reflecting uncertainty and the fertility decline. Fields with higher unemployment, lower income, and lower occupational match saw sharper fertility declines. Additionally, as unemployment decreased and income grew during the 2010s, fertility declines were less pronounced in fields that experienced stronger improvements in these areas. The predictive power of the uncertainty variables increased in the 2010s. The uncertainty model accounted for approximately half of the TFR decline and two-thirds of the TFRp1 decline across different fields. The study highlights the growing disparities in fertility patterns by educational field, underlining the increasing importance of economic security in shaping men's fertility. Keywords: men's fertility, Finland, unemployment, income, occupational match, occupation specificity" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Strukturwandel am Arbeitsmarkt durch die ökologische Transformation - Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse auf dem Arbeitsmarkt: Expertise für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung (2025)
Zitatform
Hohendanner, Christian, Markus Janser & Florian Lehmer (2025): Strukturwandel am Arbeitsmarkt durch die ökologische Transformation - Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Expertise für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung. Berlin, 94 S.
Abstract
"Die vorliegende Expertise untersucht erstmals quantitativ die strukturellen Veränderungen des Arbeitsmarktes in Deutschland im Hinblick auf geschlechtsbezogene Aspekte, die im Zuge der ökologischen Transformation entstehen. Wir verwenden hierfür einen Tasks-basierten Ansatz zur Identifikation der betroffenen Akteur*innen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Dazu werden der Greenness-of-Jobs Index (GOJI) (Janser 2019, 2024), das IAB-Berufepanel (Version 2012-2022, inkl. GOJI) sowie deskriptive Statistiken auf Basis des IAB-Betriebspanels herangezogen. Das IAB-Berufepanel wie die Auswertungen des IAB-Betriebspanels sind auf der Homepage des IAB öffentlich zugänglich und können für weitere Analysen genutzt werden. Zusätzlich werden Maßnahmen diskutiert, die helfen könnten, mögliche Ungleichheiten in der ökologischen Transformation abzufedern und zu überwinden. Ziel der Expertise ist es, den Sachverständigen für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht eine fundierte empirische Grundlage zu den Veränderungen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt und deren potenziellen Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse durch die ökologische Transformation zu liefern. Die Expertise zeigt auf, inwiefern Frauen und Männer gleichermaßen oder unterschiedlich von den Entwicklungen des Arbeitsmarktes profitieren bzw. betroffen sind. Es wird dargestellt, in welchen Branchen und Berufen sich Tätigkeitsfelder verändert haben und neue Beschäftigungsverhältnisse entstanden bzw. weggefallen sind – jeweils mit besonderem Fokus auf die Unterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern. Vor dem Hintergrund aller zusammengetragenen Erkenntnisse wird abschließend diskutiert, inwiefern die bisherigen Ergebnisse darauf hindeuten, dass sich geschlechtsbezogene Unterschiede bzw. Ungleichheiten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt in der ökologischen Transformation eher angleichen oder weiter auseinanderentwickeln." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Parental self-evaluations by gender and social class: Shared parenting ideals, male breadwinner norms, and mothers’ higher evaluation standards (2025)
Zitatform
Ishizuka, Patrick (2025): Parental self-evaluations by gender and social class: Shared parenting ideals, male breadwinner norms, and mothers’ higher evaluation standards. In: Social science research, Jg. 128. DOI:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103156
Abstract
"Cultural norms that define “good” parenting are central to sociological explanations of gender inequality among parents and social class differences in parental investments in children. Yet, little is known about how mothers and fathers of different social classes evaluate their success as parents and what predicts those assessments. Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this study examines how caregiving and breadwinning are tied to parents’ self-evaluations by genderand social class. Results show that intensive parenting activities and full-time employment strongly predict more positive self-evaluations for mothers and fathers, reflecting gender symmetry in core cultural expectations of parents. However, earnings, homeownership, and overwork positively predict self-evaluations for fathers only, and mothers evaluate themselves more negatively than fathers at the same level of involvement and financial provision. Finally, intensive parenting activities similarly positively predict self-evaluations for more- and less-educated parents. Findings highlight challenges to meeting cultural expectations of modern parenthood, particularly for mothers and economically disadvantaged parents." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author. Published byElsevier Inc.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Employment status and entry into parenthood: Weaker labor market status an unlikely driver of cohort fertility decline in a Nordic welfare state (2025)
Zitatform
Jalovaara, Marika, Leen Rahnu & Anneli Miettinen (2025): Employment status and entry into parenthood: Weaker labor market status an unlikely driver of cohort fertility decline in a Nordic welfare state. In: Acta sociologica, S. 1-18. DOI:10.1177/00016993251403380
Abstract
"Previous studies in the Nordic context have found a positive association between stronger labor market attachment and entry into parenthood (i.e. first birth), with the association being stronger for men than women and influenced by educational attainment and life-course stage. Using total population register data and event history methods, this study asks whether and how the relationship between employment status and entry into parenthood has changed for women and men born in Finland in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. We first examine how the employment situations in which women and men make decisions about entering parenthood have changed across cohorts. Our results indicate that episodes of unemployment have not increased across cohorts of women and men who are (still) childless. At the same time, young adults are increasingly combining studies and paid employment. Stable employment promotes entry into parenthood for both men and women, although the association remains stronger for men. Sufficient economic resources to start a family may have become even more important in recent cohorts, as the negative association between longer-term unemployment and transition to parenthood appears to have intensified. We also observe a cohort trend toward delayed or foregone entry into parenthood occurring regardless of labor market status. To conclude, although weak labor market status is associated with lower first-birth rates, it is unlikely to be a major driver of the cohort fertility decline, as we observe no deterioration in young adults’ labor market status and only modest changes in its association with entry into parenthood." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Working-time flexibility among European couples (2025)
Zitatform
Kałamucka, Agata, Anna Matysiak & Beata Osiewalska (2025): Working-time flexibility among European couples. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2535735
Abstract
"This study examines patterns of working-time flexibility among European heterosexual couples, focusing on both employee – and employer-oriented flexibilities. Using 2019 EU LFS and multinomial logit models, we analyse how these flexibilities are distributed between partners, considering education and parenthood status. The findings highlight the critical role of working-time flexibility in shaping labor force participation and reveal stark differences across socioeconomic and family contexts. Among the tertiary-educated strata, there is a high prevalence of dual-earner couples in which both partners work with employee-oriented flexibility, which remains consistently high even when there are children at home. This pattern is, however, much more common in Western Europe than in Southern and Central Eastern Europe. In contrast, below tertiary-educated couples are less likely to have employee-oriented flexibility and more often form male breadwinner families, particularly as family size increases. Additionally, we demonstrate that below tertiary-educated fathers often have to rely on employer-oriented schedules, which highlight the challenges they may face in balancing work and family responsibilities due to unpredictable work hours. We found this pattern most common in Southern Europe. This study underscores the critical intersection of education, working-time flexibility, and parenthood in shaping labour force participation and perpetuating gender inequalities across socioeconomic strata." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
When Gender Kicks in: an Experimental Study of Work from Home and Attitudes to Household Work and Childcare (2025)
Zitatform
Kotsadam, Andreas, Mette Løvgren, Nicolas Moreau, Elena Stancanelli & Arthur van Soest (2025): When Gender Kicks in: an Experimental Study of Work from Home and Attitudes to Household Work and Childcare. (Paris-Jourdan Science Economiques. Working paper 2025-45), Paris, 39 S.
Abstract
"We study how working from home links to gendered attitudes about household work and childcare. Using a vignette experiment embedded in a regular Dutch population representative survey, we randomly vary the gender of the partner working from home in a hypothetical dualearner couple. When presented with various routine and emergency chores, respondents, on average, agree that the partner working from home should execute them, and the extent of agreement is significantly larger when the vignette randomly depicts a man, rather than a woman, working from home. These differences in respondents’gendered expectations around performing chores are not statistically significant in the baseline scenario where no partner works from home. All in all, the evidence gathered indicates that Work from Home may blast rather than boost gender norms around household work and childcare." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
When Working From Home Fails to Support Work–Life Balance: The Role of Childcare- and Work-Related Demands (2025)
Zitatform
Kurowska, Anna, Agnieszka Kasperska & Gayle Kaufman (2025): When Working From Home Fails to Support Work–Life Balance: The Role of Childcare- and Work-Related Demands. In: Journal of Family Issues, Jg. 46, H. 11, S. 1664-1692. DOI:10.1177/0192513x251356260
Abstract
"The new normal of working from home (WFH) brought by the COVID-19 pandemic enabled parents to manage increased childcare demands while working remotely. Using multi-country data from the Familydemic Harmonized Dataset (n = 9364), this study examines how WFH was related to perceived changes in work–life balance (WLB) among mothers and fathers, considering the moderating role of childcare- and work-related demands. Overall, WFH was positively associated with improved WLB, regardless of partnership status. However, this relationship weakened for mothers whose children were out of formal childcare for over a month and when they increased their working hours. Furthermore, we found that fathers who extended their working hours while WFH were more likely to report worsened WLB than those working in the office. These findings, though based on mid-2021 data, remain relevant post-pandemic as parents continue to navigate the challenges of WFH, childcare, and demanding work schedules." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Spannungsfeld Vereinbarkeit: Arbeitsaufteilung, Geschlechterrollen und Aushandlungen im Paarkontext (2025)
Kümmerling, Angelika; Zink, Lina; Jansen, Andreas;Zitatform
Kümmerling, Angelika, Lina Zink & Andreas Jansen (2025): Spannungsfeld Vereinbarkeit. Arbeitsaufteilung, Geschlechterrollen und Aushandlungen im Paarkontext. Gütersloh, 67 S. DOI:10.11586/2025005
Abstract
"Im Fokus der Studie des zweiten Teils der Reihe "Spannungsfeld Vereinbarkeit“ stehen die Arbeitsaufteilung, Geschlechterrollen und Aushandlungen zwischen Frauen und Männern in heterosexuellen Paarbeziehungen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine stark verzerrte unterschiedliche Wahrnehmung über die Zuständigkeiten im Haushalt. Die ungleiche Verteilung der Haus- und Sorgearbeit und traditionelle Rollenbilder sind weiterhin ein Hemmnis für eine stärkere Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Is It Daddy Time Yet? Trends and Variation in Men's Employment Hours Around Childbirth: 1989–2020 (2025)
Zitatform
Li, Anita (2025): Is It Daddy Time Yet? Trends and Variation in Men's Employment Hours Around Childbirth: 1989–2020. In: Demography, Jg. 62, H. 4, S. 1319-1339. DOI:10.1215/00703370-12157124
Abstract
"Scholars continue to debate the progress of the gender revolution. Some argue that the gender revolution is stalled, whereas others see an emerging second half marked by men's increased involvement in the home. Using longitudinally linked monthly data from the 1989–2020 Current Population Survey, I show that U.S. fathers from more recent cohorts worked fewer hours around the time of a childbirth than earlier cohorts—evidence consistent with the second half of the gender revolution. The magnitude of change is modest but is larger among college-educated men, men with a college-educated partner, and men in dual-earner households. Changes across cohorts are entirely accounted for by men's increasing reports of parental leave usage. Findings shed light on the changing relationship between parenthood and work for men and suggest continued steps toward gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Paternal Leave Duration and the Closure of the Gendered Family Work Gap (2025)
Zitatform
Lütolf, Meret (2025): Paternal Leave Duration and the Closure of the Gendered Family Work Gap. In: Social Politics, Jg. 32, H. 4, S. 1153-1183. DOI:10.1093/sp/jxaf017
Abstract
"In recent years, as societal norms evolve, active fatherhood has gained prominence as contributing to child well-being and gender equality. Parental leave policies are seen as key support, yet the extent to which paternity leave, and in particular the duration of its effective uptake, and the longer-term objective of gender equality in unpaid work correlate, remains unclear. This article explores the link between paternal leave uptake and subsequent care division among parents, considering country opportunities and individual attitudes. Using new survey data from five countries including a novel 24-hour slider measurement system, the linear regression models reveal a positive correlation between longer paternal leave uptake and a more balanced distribution of unpaid work, that is, a smaller family work gap. The study emphasizes the essential role of parental leave policies in fostering an egalitarian division of labor and enhances the understanding of the interplay between parental leave, caregiving, and gender." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Balancing Act of Working Mothers and Caring Fathers: Impact of Family Policy on Egalitarianism in Families in Western Democracies (2025)
Zitatform
Lütolf, Meret (2025): The Balancing Act of Working Mothers and Caring Fathers. Impact of Family Policy on Egalitarianism in Families in Western Democracies. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 220 S. DOI:10.1007/978-3-658-47716-5
Abstract
"This Open-Access-book explores how egalitarian parental leave policies can support a more balanced division of paid work and caregiving. Introducing a novel analysis grid and a unique dataset, Meret Lütolf examines parental leave policies in five countries – United States, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and Sweden – revealing how fully paid, non-transferable leave can promote gender-neutral caregiving roles. Key findings highlight the connection between longer paternal leave and a more equal distribution of unpaid work, along with fathers’ willingness to reduce paid work hours in favor of caregiving. By combining multiple research methods, the study links policy intentions with real-life outcomes and identifies feasible reforms, including full wage replacement, that can enhance egalitarianism without raising policy costs. Offering valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and advocates, this book demonstrates how parental leave policies can contribute to more equal family dynamics and address broader gender inequalities in society." (Publisher information, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Impact of Neighbour, Colleague, and Family Peers on Parental Labour Supply (2025)
Zitatform
Meekes, Jordy & Max van Lent (2025): The Impact of Neighbour, Colleague, and Family Peers on Parental Labour Supply. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18148), Bonn, 47 S.
Abstract
"Child penalties in paid working hours are persistent and widen the gender earnings gap. This paper studies an important mechanism through which working hours are affected: peer effects. Using three unique layers of peer networks: neighbours, colleagues, and family, we analyse peer effects on individuals' paid working hours. We analyse peer effects up to six years after childbirth on individuals who become first-time parents in the period 2014-2018, using Dutch full-population administrative monthly microdata up to September 2024. The identification strategy exploits exogenous variation in peers' working hours through peers-of-peers. Our research is the first to establish long-term statistically significant peer effects on fathers' working hours. The results indicate positive peer effects on fathers and mothers, where colleague peers are more important than neighbour peers and family peers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Equality Through Marriage (2025)
Zitatform
Moroni, Gloria, Cheti Nicoletti, Kjell G. Salvanes & Emma Tominey (2025): Gender Equality Through Marriage. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18288), Bonn, 40 S., App.
Abstract
"We revisit the economic effects of marriage, analysing its heterogeneous impact on the intra-household labour division following childbirth. Can marriage promote coordination of work and child activities between parents and a gender egalitarian division of labour? Using a marginal treatment effect framework, we find the average effect of marriage is to increase parental specialization and worsen the mother's child penalty. However, we find differences across couples with varying resistance to marriage. While traditional couples (low-resistance) exhibit increased specialization; in modern couples (high-resistance) fathers have an earnings penalty and take more paternity leave, suggesting more coordination and gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Ähnliche Treffer
auch erschienen als: Discussion Paper Series in Economics, 20/2025 -
Literaturhinweis
Unpaid care in the EU (2025)
Zitatform
Nivakoski, Sanna & Marianna Baggio (2025): Unpaid care in the EU. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Dublin, 80 S. DOI:10.2806/5774709
Abstract
"As countries face increasing pressure when it comes to providing care services, unpaid caregivers make an invaluable contribution. Care is needed at all ages of life, particularly when individuals face health issues or disabilities. The majority of care is provided within families, without financial compensation. This report investigates the situation of unpaid carers, focusing on their characteristics and the type of care and support they provide. It also looks at their time-use patterns, their well-being and the challenges they encounter. The report analyses how unpaid caregivers are defined across the EU and examines national-level policies aimed at supporting them. While the analysis covers all unpaid carers, including those providing childcare and long-term care, a specific focus is placed on two groups: young caregivers and those providing multiple types of unpaid care." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The gendered division of paid labour among families of children with disabilities: a comparative approach (2025)
Noa, Israeli; Dafna, Gelbgiser; Haya, Stier;Zitatform
Noa, Israeli, Gelbgiser Dafna & Stier Haya (2025): The gendered division of paid labour among families of children with disabilities: a comparative approach. In: European Societies, S. 1-45. DOI:10.1162/euso.a.83
Abstract
"Having a child with a disability intensifies work-family conflict due to the additional caregiving demands. Prior research suggests that this conflict reinforces more traditional patterns of labour division in families of children with disabilities (FOCD), contributing to a well-documented ‘disability penalty’, where mothers' relative contribution to paid labour is lower in FOCD than in other families. Yet, it remains unclear whether and how the disability penalty is shaped by family and FOCD-specific policies. We shed light on this association by analysing data from the 2021 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC) data from four European countries that differ in their family policies frameworks: Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland. Our findings suggest that the interplay of family policies and prevailing gender norms may shape the extent of the disability penalty, with crossnational variations in the differences between FOCD and non-FOCD in their gendered division of paid labour. A significant disability penalty is observed only in Poland, a country marked by minimal, means-tested support for FOCD alongside expectations of full-time employment for both parents. In contrast, in Finland, Spain, and the Netherlands, the disability penalty is either negligible or statistically non-significant. These results highlight the importance of a comparative perspective in understanding the disability penalty and highlights the role of family policies in shaping labour market outcomes for FOCD. Findings offer valuable insights for policymakers addressing the challenges faced by FOCD across Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Effect of Child Support on Fathers’ Labor Supply (2025)
Ong, Pinchuan;Zitatform
Ong, Pinchuan (2025): The Effect of Child Support on Fathers’ Labor Supply. In: Journal of labor economics. DOI:10.1086/740192
Abstract
"Child support frequently increases with the noncustodial fathers’ incomes. I study the effect on their work incentives. For identification, I exploit the end of child support when the children involved reach emancipation age. Empirically, child support paid drops to near zero on emancipation; fathers correspondingly increase their work hours and annual earnings. Formally, each 10 percentage point increase in the child support rate leads to an 8–11 percent decrease in labor supply conditional on working. I find weaker extensive margin responses. In a structural model, I map these estimates to the intertemporal elasticity of labor supply (Frisch elasticity)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Paternity leave-taking and US Fathers’ participation in housework (2025)
Zitatform
Petts, Richard J., Daniel L. Carlson & Chris Knoester (2025): Paternity leave-taking and US Fathers’ participation in housework. In: Journal of Social Policy, S. 1-24. DOI:10.1017/s0047279425100901
Abstract
"Paternity leave may promote greater gender equality in domestic labor. Though numerous studies show that paternity leave promotes greater fathers ’ involvement in childcare, less is known about whether paternity leave-taking may facilitate fathers’ involvement in other forms of domestic labor such as housework. Using repeated cross-sectional data on different-gender partnered US parents from the Study on Parents’ Divisions of Labor During COVID-19 (SPDLC), this study examines the extent to which paternity leave-taking and length of paternity leave are associated with US fathers’ shares of, and time spent on, housework. Findings suggest that paternity leave-taking is positively associated with fathers’ shares of, and time spent on, housework tasks. Longer paternity leaves are also associated with fathers performing greater shares of housework. Overall, this study indicates that the benefits of paternity leave likely extend to fathers’ greater participation in housework, providing additional support for the belief that increased use of paternity leave may help to promote gender equality in domestic labor." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The gendered division of housework in times of Covid-19: the role of essential worker status and work location (2025)
Zitatform
Piolatto, Matteo, Marija Bashevska, Olga Leshchenko, Chantal Remery & Susanne Strauss (2025): The gendered division of housework in times of Covid-19: the role of essential worker status and work location. In: Journal of family studies, S. 1-20. DOI:10.1080/13229400.2025.2526468
Abstract
"The question whether the measures taken to curb the spread of Covid-19 exacerbated or reduced gender inequality with respect to the division of housework and childcare has initiated a large number of studies. This study adds to this field by investigating the role of an until now underexposed yet important element in the literature on the pandemic, which is the assignment of an essential worker status for one or two partners of a couple. Drawing on resource theory, we formulate different hypotheses on how an essential worker status impacts the gendered division of housework during the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in dual-earner opposite-sex couples. In addition, as essential work was often, but not always done on-site, we use the time availability perspective to formulate hypotheses on how the impact of being assigned the essential work status interacts with remote-work. We investigate these research questions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands using household longitudinal panel data from UKHLS and COGIS-LISS, applying panel fixed effects models. The results suggest that having an essential occupation is a resource for women but not men to renegotiate the division of housework. This is particularly the case when one or both partners can work from home." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Can Dad Take Over? Effects of Paternity Leave on Relationship Stability and Employment (2025)
Poli, Silvia De;Zitatform
Poli, Silvia De (2025): Can Dad Take Over? Effects of Paternity Leave on Relationship Stability and Employment. (FBK-IRVAPP working paper / Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Research Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies 2025-03), Trient, 31 S.
Abstract
"This paper assesses how extending paternity leave duration in Spain affects labour market outcomes and relationship stability. By combining administrative data from different sources, this study provides both descriptive and causal evidence of the effectiveness of the reform. First, we show that having a child substantially increases the gender employment gap between fathers and mothers by about 20 percentage points. Yet, between 2016 and 2021, when the duration of paternity leave gradually increased from two to sixteen weeks, this gap decreased by five percentage points. Second, using a regression discontinuity design, we analyse the causal effect of the 2018 reform, which introduced an additional week of leave for fathers that, for the first time, could be taken independently of the mother's leave. Although we do not find robust evidence of an effect on the labour market, we show that the reform increased the stability of the relationship among couples where the mother was employed before childbirth. From a policy perspective, our findings suggest that extending paternity leave could have important implications in balancing family responsibilities and mitigating relationship conflicts." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
In familienfreundlichen Betrieben nehmen Väter häufiger Elternzeit in Anspruch (2025)
Zitatform
Seidlitz, Arnim, Ann-Christin Bächmann & Corinna Frodermann (2025): In familienfreundlichen Betrieben nehmen Väter häufiger Elternzeit in Anspruch. In: IAB-Forum H. 28.07.2025. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20250728.01
Abstract
Daten des IAB zeigen: Die Entscheidung von Vätern, in Elternzeit zu gehen, hängt stark vom Betrieb ab, in dem sie tätig sind. So ist der Anteil verheirateter Väter, die Elternzeit in Anspruch nehmen, in Betrieben mit familienfreundlichen Maßnahmen höher als in solchen ohne entsprechende Angebote. Dieser Zusammenhang bleibt auch dann bestehen, wenn weitere betriebliche und persönliche Merkmale berücksichtigt werden.
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Literaturhinweis
The interplay of poverty risk–employment trajectories in couples around the transition to parenthood in Germany (2025)
Zitatform
Siegert, Christina (2025): The interplay of poverty risk–employment trajectories in couples around the transition to parenthood in Germany. In: Advances in life course research, Jg. 66. DOI:10.1016/j.alcr.2025.100707
Abstract
"The transition to parenthood is a critical period that exacerbates gendered economic inequality, with mothers more likely than their partners to experience employment disruptions and income losses. This study examines individual poverty risk among partnered individuals (N = 1237) in Germany from a life course perspective, analyzing how gendered career patterns around first births between 1992 and 2013 intersect with changes in individual poverty risk, i.e. under the assumption of no income pooling. Applying multichannel sequence analysis (MCSA) to data from the Socio-Economic Panel, the findings reveal substantial heterogeneity in how poverty risk and employment trajectories unfold after childbirth, both by gender and among women. Men’s employment and financial stability remain largely unchanged after parenthood, whereas women’s economic trajectories vary widely. While most women are financially stable before childbirth, their post-birth pathways diverge. Some return to work quickly with minimal poverty risk, while others take extended parental leave and face prolonged risks. A smaller group is persistently vulnerable even before childbirth, with consistently weak labor market attachment. Longer periods of vulnerability may reinforce power imbalances between partners and limit women’s autonomy. Over historical time, the share of women in financially stable trajectories has increased, likely reflecting policy changes that support earlier labor market reintegration. However, a subset of women remains at high risk, particularly those with lower pre-birth earnings. The findings highlight the necessity of long observation periods, as poverty risks evolve beyond the initial years of parenthood and demonstrate the utility of MCSA in describing such dynamics." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Aspekt zurücksetzen
- Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen
- Erwerbsbeteiligung von Männern
- Kinderbetreuung und Pflege
- Berufliche Geschlechtersegregation
- Berufsrückkehr – Wiedereinstieg in den Arbeitsmarkt
- Dual-Career-Couples
- Work-Life
- Geschlechtsspezifische Lohnunterschiede
- Familienpolitische Rahmenbedingungen
- Aktive/aktivierende Arbeitsmarktpolitik
- Arbeitslosigkeit und passive Arbeitsmarktpolitik
- geografischer Bezug