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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.
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  • Literaturhinweis

    Falling behind unequally: labour market outcomes of Italian couples after childbirth* (2026)

    Barbieri, Teresa ; Cirillo, Valeria ; Bavaro, Michele ;

    Zitatform

    Barbieri, Teresa, Michele Bavaro & Valeria Cirillo (2026): Falling behind unequally: labour market outcomes of Italian couples after childbirth*. In: Applied Economics, S. 1-20. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2026.2624051

    Abstract

    "This study explores how childbirth differently shapes the career trajectories of men and women within the same couples, with a particular focus on gender disparities in experiencing downward labour transitions following the birth of their first child. Using a unique survey-administrative linked dataset, we track couples’ labour market trajectories to analyse transitions from employment to unemployment, full-time to part-time employment, and higher-paid to lower-paid jobs. Additionally, the dataset allows to link partners, enabling the study of factors influencing differences in the probabilities of downward labour market transitions between partners in the same household. Our findings reveal substantial and persistent penalties for women, lasting up to three years after childbirth, which are mainly related to part-time job arrangements. When examining differences in probabilities within couples, households in which women have tertiary education with respect to their partners and are the primary earners exhibit smaller gender disparities in the likelihood of downward labour transitions with respect to other households." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    What hinders employees’ access to and use of family-friendly policies: a systematic review of motivations, opportunities, and abilities (2026)

    Blom, Rutger; Aarntzen, Lianne ;

    Zitatform

    Blom, Rutger & Lianne Aarntzen (2026): What hinders employees’ access to and use of family-friendly policies: a systematic review of motivations, opportunities, and abilities. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-40. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2026.2625440

    Abstract

    "In recent decades, many people increasingly need to juggle work with family responsibilities. Despite the availability of family-friendly organizational policies aimed at alleviating these challenges, employees are often not granted access to them, do not perceive them as accessible, and are reluctant to use them. This systematic review examines the barriers hindering the effective implementation of family-friendly policies using a multilevel Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) framework. Reviewing 80 empirical studies on antecedents of access to and use of family-friendly policies, we evaluated the strength of evidence for each antecedent based on the study quality, consistency across studies, and the degree to which the study could be generalized to real-life contexts. Findings reveal that (1) lack of support at different stakeholder levels is a key barrier to access and use of policies, (2) underprivileged workers are restrained from access, (3) gendered workplace norms exclude men from using policies, (4) female-dominated occupations and sectors offer the lowest access to family-friendly policies. Under-researched areas, such as the sector and coworker levels, along with the ability dimension of the MOA framework, require further exploration. The insights derived in this review may help the development of targeted organizational interventions, supporting employees to achieve a satisfactory work-life balance." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    The impact of a parental leave benefit reform on parents' leave-taking, labor supply and childcare arrangements (2026)

    Boll, Christina ; Nikolka, Till ;

    Zitatform

    Boll, Christina & Till Nikolka (2026): The impact of a parental leave benefit reform on parents' leave-taking, labor supply and childcare arrangements. In: Review of Economics of the Household, S. 1-38. DOI:10.1007/s11150-026-09845-1

    Abstract

    "We analyze the causal effects of a parental leave benefit reform on parents in Germany. The reform added new features to the existing scheme increasing flexibility for take-up and providing incentives for parents to work part-time during the parental leave phase. We exploit the quasi-experimental allocation of births around the eligibility date to estimate intent-to-treat-effects of the reform on parental leave take-up, parents’ labor market involvement, intra-couple childcare division and institutional childcare demand and uptake. We find that parental leave take-up of college-educated fathers in the treatment group is higher than that in the control group. Furthermore, fathers in the treatment group reduce working hours but we do not observe any significant changes for mothers. However, mothers in the treatment group whose partners have a college degree report that they would like to work more hours when returning to the labor market compared to those in the control group. While we do not find effects on intra-couple childcare division, our analysis reveals higher demand for institutional childcare among parents in the treatment group in case the father holds a college degree. However, higher childcare demand is only reflected by higher uptake among parents with children aged three or older. We suggest that parents’ heterogeneity regarding their work arrangements and gender role orientations as well as constraints in public childcare provision for toddlers might explain our findings." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    Geschlechtergerecht gestalten: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik (2026)

    Bothfeld, Silke ; Yollu-Tok, Aysel ; Schütt, Petra; Hohendanner, Christian ;

    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)

    Beteiligte aus dem IAB

    Hohendanner, Christian ;
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  • Literaturhinweis

    Einleitung: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer geschlechtergerechten Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik (2026)

    Bothfeld, Silke ; Hohendanner, Christian ; Schütt, Petra; Yollu-Tok, Aysel ;

    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)

    Beteiligte aus dem IAB

    Hohendanner, Christian ;
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  • Literaturhinweis

    Arbeits- und Betreuungsarrangements von Familien mit kleinen Kindern: Gesellschaftliche Einstellung zu Erwerbstätigkeit von Müttern und externer Kinderbetreuung (2026)

    Frodermann, Corinna ; Peters, Eileen ; Philipp, Marie-Fleur ; Wenzig, Claudia;

    Zitatform

    Frodermann, Corinna, Eileen Peters, Marie-Fleur Philipp & Claudia Wenzig (2026): Arbeits- und Betreuungsarrangements von Familien mit kleinen Kindern: Gesellschaftliche Einstellung zu Erwerbstätigkeit von Müttern und externer Kinderbetreuung. (IAB-Kurzbericht 02/2026), Nürnberg, 8 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.KB.2602

    Abstract

    "Die Förderung der Erwerbsintegration von Frauen und speziell von Müttern ist ein zentrales Thema der Arbeitsmarkt- und Gleichstellungspolitik. Entscheidend für eine Erwerbsaufnahme von Müttern sind dabei nicht nur die Bedingungen am Arbeitsmarkt und die vorhandenen Möglichkeiten der externen Kinderbetreuung, sondern auch die Einstellung zu Familie und Beruf. Vor diesem Hintergrund untersuchen die Autorinnen Normvorstellungen in der Bevölkerung zur außerhäuslichen Betreuung von Kindern und zur Erwerbstätigkeit von Müttern." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

    Beteiligte aus dem IAB

    Frodermann, Corinna ; Wenzig, Claudia;
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  • Literaturhinweis

    The Effect of Access to Legal Abortion on Fertility, Marriage, and Long-term Outcomes for Women (2026)

    González, Libertad ; Jiménez-Martín, Sergi; Nollenberger, Natalia ; Castello, Judit Vall;

    Zitatform

    González, Libertad, Sergi Jiménez-Martín, Natalia Nollenberger & Judit Vall Castello (2026): The Effect of Access to Legal Abortion on Fertility, Marriage, and Long-term Outcomes for Women. In: The Economic Journal, Jg. 136, H. 674, S. 440-467. DOI:10.1093/ej/ueaf054

    Abstract

    "We evaluate the short- and long-term effects for women of access to legal, subsidized abortion. We find evidence that the legalization of abortion in Spain in 1985 led to an immediate decrease in births, more pronounced for younger women in provinces with a higher supply of abortion services. Affected women were more likely to graduate from high school, less likely to marry young, less likely to divorce in the long-term, and reported higher life satisfaction as adults. We find at most small reductions in completed fertility, while we do not find meaningful effects on labour market outcomes in the long run." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen ab 45: Empirische Evidenz zum Einfluss finanzieller Anreize (2026)

    Herrmann, Fiona; Kinne, Lavinia ; Wrohlich, Katharina ;

    Zitatform

    Herrmann, Fiona, Lavinia Kinne & Katharina Wrohlich (2026): Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen ab 45. Empirische Evidenz zum Einfluss finanzieller Anreize. Gütersloh, 88 S. DOI:10.11586/2026036

    Abstract

    "Vor dem Hintergrund des demografischen Wandels und des damit einhergehenden zunehmenden Drucks auf die sozialen Sicherungssysteme werden aktuell die Erwerbsbeteiligung und die wöchentliche Erwerbsarbeitszeit von Frauen diskutiert. Die Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen in Deutschland ist in den letzten Jahrzehnten stark gestiegen und liegt mit über 75 Prozent im internationalen Vergleich sehr hoch. Allerdings ist auch der Anteil der Teilzeitbeschäftigten unter den Frauen sehr hoch. Dies ist nicht nur bei Frauen mit jungen Kindern, sondern auch in der Altersgruppe ab 45 Jahren zu beobachten. Ein großer Teil der beschäftigten Frauen ist von der Phase der Familiengründung bis zum Ende ihrer Erwerbstätigkeit in Teilzeit erwerbstätig. Dadurch entsteht eine große geschlechtsspezifische Lücke in der Erwerbsarbeit, die auch negative Auswirkungen auf die Alterseinkünfte von Frauen hat. In dieser Studie werden die Gründe für den hohen Teilzeitanteil von Frauen in der Altersgruppe ab 45 Jahren untersucht. Dazu wurde eine Befragung der Zielgruppe (Frauen im Alter von 45 bis 66 Jahren) mit einem Vignetten-Experiment kombiniert. Dies ermöglicht es, nicht nur die Gründe für die aktuellen Erwerbsentscheidungen der Befragten zu ermitteln, sondern auch ihre Einstellungen zur Erwerbstätigkeit in verschiedenen Szenarien zu erheben. Aus diesen Erkenntnissen lassen sich unter anderem die Wirkungen finanzieller Anreize auf die Erwerbsentscheidungen von Frauen ableiten. Die Ergebnisse der Befragung zu den Gründen der aktuellen Erwerbsentscheidungen der Befragten zeigen, dass die meisten der nicht erwerbstätigen 45–66-jährigen Frauen aus gesundheitlichen Gründen ihren Beruf aufgegeben haben. Fast ein Drittel der Befragten gab auch an, dass es sich für sie finanziell nicht lohnen würde, eine Erwerbstätigkeit aufzunehmen. Die in Teilzeit beschäftigten Frauen gaben als Gründe für diese Wahl mehrheitlich an, Zeit für die Familie zu benötigen bzw. eine Vollzeittätigkeit als zu hohe körperliche Belastung zu empfinden. In dieser Gruppe gab sogar fast die Hälfte der Befragten an, dass sich eine Ausweitung der Erwerbstätigkeit finanziell zu wenig lohnen würde. Im Vignetten-Teil der Studie wurden den Befragten hypothetische Szenarien vorgelegt, die sich nach der Höhe des Stundenlohnes, der Art der Aufteilung der Sorgearbeit im Haushalt, den Arbeitsbedingungen und der -flexibilität sowie der Art der Besteuerung (gemeinsame versus getrennte Veranlagung) unterschieden. Die Befragten wurden gebeten, die aus ihrer Sicht optimale Arbeitszeit für die Frauen in diesen hypothetischen Situationen anzugeben. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass veränderte finanzielle Anreize durch ein alternatives Steuerszenario die Erwerbsbeteiligung und die durchschnittlichen Erwerbsarbeitsstunden signifikant erhöhen würden. Insbesondere würde der Anteil der Frauen in Minijobs dadurch zugunsten einer höheren Vollzeit- und Teilzeit-Erwerbstätigkeit sinken. Auch die Aufteilung der Sorgearbeit und die Arbeitsbedingungen beeinflussen die gewählte Arbeitszeit. Unabhängig von der Aufteilung der Sorgearbeit und der Art der Arbeitsbedingungen zeigt die Vignetten-Befragung jedoch, dass finanzielle Anreize in allen Fällen eine wichtige Rolle spielen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, © Bertelsmann Stiftung)

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  • Literaturhinweis

    Beyond left and right: Socio-cultural determinants of parenting leave policy in advanced democracies (2026)

    Hieda, Takeshi ;

    Zitatform

    Hieda, Takeshi (2026): Beyond left and right: Socio-cultural determinants of parenting leave policy in advanced democracies. In: Journal of European Social Policy. DOI:10.1177/09589287251410874

    Abstract

    "This study examines the political determinants of parenting leave policy across 21 OECD countries from 1970 to 2021. While prior research has linked parenting leave expansion to social democratic and Christian democratic governments, this paper argues that party positions in the two-dimensional ideological space—socio-economic left–right and socio-cultural libertarian–authoritarian—better explain policy preferences. Using mixed-effects ordered logit models, the analysis reveals that socio-cultural rather than socio-economic positions drive parenting leave expansion. Governments with libertarian socio-cultural orientations are more likely to extend paid maternity, paternity, and parental leave for both mothers and fathers. These findings remain robust even when controlling for party family, indicating that the influence of Christian democratic and social democratic governments stems from their shifts towards libertarian positions. The study provides new insights into the partisan determinants of parenting leave policy, highlighting the role of socio-cultural competition in shaping welfare state transformations in post-industrial democracies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    Caring Dads? Universal Childcare, Paternity Leave, and Fathers’ Labor Supply (2026)

    Huebener, Mathias ; Mahlbacher, Malin; Schmitz, Sophia ;

    Zitatform

    Huebener, Mathias, Malin Mahlbacher & Sophia Schmitz (2026): Caring Dads? Universal Childcare, Paternity Leave, and Fathers’ Labor Supply. (IZA discussion paper / IZA Network @ LISER 18696), Bonn: IZA Network @ LISER, 62 S.

    Abstract

    "We study how expansions of publicly subsidized childcare affect the intra-household allocation of labor supply in early childhood, with a particular focus on fathers. Exploiting variation in the roll-out of childcare places for children under three across German counties, we show that increased availability accelerates childcare entry and maternal return to work. Fathers also adjust their labor supply: they take more parental leave and subsequently reduce full-time work, yet without significantly increasing weekday caregiving. These findings imply that childcare policies can reshape labor supply within households, leading to smaller aggregate labor supply effects than suggested by maternal responses alone." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    The leave gap: actual versus optimal maternity leave in a sample of US breastfeeding women (2026)

    Johnson, Katherine M. ; McCarthy, Christina ;

    Zitatform

    Johnson, Katherine M. & Christina McCarthy (2026): The leave gap: actual versus optimal maternity leave in a sample of US breastfeeding women. In: Community, work & family, Jg. 29, H. 1, S. 43-50. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2024.2339318

    Abstract

    "Access to quality parental leave is a prominent US work-family issue and crucial for supporting maternal and child health, including breastfeeding outcomes. This is even more salient given the recently updated US public health recommendation to breastfeed for up to two-plus years. Yet little prior research on work-breastfeeding conflict, has addressed breastfeeding women's perceptions of maternity leave. How much leave do breastfeeding women want relative to what they receive? What shapes their optimal leave perceptions? Using in-depth interview data, we first examined the leave gap between optimal and actual leave duration. Most interviewees reported a leave deficit, averaging 20 weeks. We then examined perceptions of optimal leave - identifying four themes: (1) making comparisons, (2) role transition and adjustment, (3) the developing child, and (4) return-readiness. Overall, we argue that it is important to consider ideal leave and the leave gap, which may produce further strain for breastfeeding employees." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    Employment Conditions in the Paid Care Economy in Egypt:: Improvement or Deterioration? (2026)

    Krafft, Caroline ; Ehab, Maye ;

    Zitatform

    Krafft, Caroline & Maye Ehab (2026): Employment Conditions in the Paid Care Economy in Egypt:: Improvement or Deterioration? In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 60, H. 1, 2026-03-14. DOI:10.1186/s12651-026-00426-4

    Abstract

    "This paper examines the evolution of the paid care economy in Egypt, over 2009-21, assessing trends in employment and employment conditions. The analyses demonstrate that, despite goals to grow the paid care economy, paid care employment has shrunk over time in Egypt, driven by the retreat of the public sector. Furthermore, employment conditions in care employment have worsened over time, in part due to the increasing privatization of care employment. The informal share of care employment (without social insurance coverage) has increased over time. While initially there was not a care pay gap, one has formed over time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer) ((en))

    Beteiligte aus dem IAB

    Ehab, Maye ;
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  • Literaturhinweis

    Explaining gendered informality: how family policies shape women's participation in unregistered employment in Europe (2026)

    Mäkinen, Niklas ;

    Zitatform

    Mäkinen, Niklas (2026): Explaining gendered informality: how family policies shape women's participation in unregistered employment in Europe. In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, Jg. 46, H. 13-14, S. 125-141. DOI:10.1108/ijssp-06-2025-0378

    Abstract

    "Purpose: Family policies aimed at reconciling the pressures of family and work shape women's employment outcomes. Yet, very few studies have examined their impact on employment that is not formally registered with authorities. The study aims to investigate whether, and to what extent, different family policies influence women's participation in unregistered employment. Design/methodology/approach: The study used individual data from the 2004–2022 European Social Survey, combined with information on country-level indicators of family policies. Multi-level linear probability models were applied to analyse data. Findings: Findings suggest that family policy arrangements that reinforce traditional gender norms and limit women’s economic opportunities contribute to gender disparities in unregistered employment. In countries with higher part-time childcare coverage or shorter leaves, women were found to be more likely to take up unregistered jobs, most likely to balance paid work with caregiving responsibilities and/or to make ends meet. Given that unregistered employment is associated with poor working conditions and limited social protection, such policies may deepen the existing gender inequality in the labour market. In countries where women have more economic independence and fewer care obligations, the gender gap in unregistered employment was smaller. Originality/value: This study addresses a critical gap in the literature by demonstrating that certain family policies may increase women's dependency on informal income sources." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    Universal Daycare and Mothers’ Working Lifetime (2026)

    Sander, Sarah ;

    Zitatform

    Sander, Sarah (2026): Universal Daycare and Mothers’ Working Lifetime. In: The Economic Journal. DOI:10.1093/ej/ueag031

    Abstract

    "This paper examines the effects of universal daycare on mothers’ labour force participation, hours worked, full-time employment, and earnings over their working lives. I exploit variation in access created by the roll-out of daycare centres across Denmark, combined with rich administrative data. Daycare availability positively affects participation (2.3%), hours worked (3.1%), and earnings (3.7%) 16 years after the first child. Secondary fertility choices and parental separation appear to mediate these effects. The effects on labour market outcomes are driven by low-educated mothers, suggesting that lack of subsidised childcare is a larger employment barrier for low-educated mothers." (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

    Mapping the Determinants of Female Employment: Labour Market Areas and Spatial Spillovers (2026)

    Simón-Albert, Raquel ; Mayor, Matías ; Simón, Hipólito ; Casado-Díaz, José M. ;

    Zitatform

    Simón-Albert, Raquel, Matías Mayor, José M. Casado-Díaz & Hipólito Simón (2026): Mapping the Determinants of Female Employment: Labour Market Areas and Spatial Spillovers. In: Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie, Jg. 117, H. 2, S. 250-270. DOI:10.1111/tesg.70057

    Abstract

    "This paper examines the territorial determinants of female employment rates using labour market areas (LMAs) – functional units based on commuting patterns – to mitigate the Modifiable AreaUnit Problem (MAUP). Drawing on detailed Spanish census microdata and spatial econometrics, we find that male unemployment negatively affects female employment through a discouraged worker effect , whereas higher shares of part-time jobs, medium household income, and a greater proportion of immigrant women from emerging countries are associated with better female employment outcomes. Certain aspects of local economic structure, particularly a larger service sector, positively influence women’s employment. Comparing spatial and non-spatial specifications shows only modest gains, consistent with limited cross-area spillovers when the analysis relies on functionally defined units. Overall, the evidence supports LMAs as appropriate territorial units and highlights the importance of care-related and income-based interventions, together with efforts to broaden sectoral opportunities for women and to improve data availability at the functional-area level." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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  • Literaturhinweis

    The European Parenting Leave Policies (EPLP) dataset: Leave duration entitlements for 21 countries from 1970 to 2024 (2026)

    Spitzer, Sonja ; Tuda, Dora; Pall, Katre; Kurowska, Anna ; Lemoine, Adèle; Reiter, Claudia ; Song, Zhanxiong; Vargha, Lili ; Wrohlich, Katharina ; Wagner, Sander ; Kristiansen, Ida Lykke ; Thil, Laurène; Herlitz, Agneta; Hart, Rannveig Kaldager ; Romero Balsas, Pedro; Juárez, Sol Pía; Räsänen, Tapio ; Honkaniemi, Helena; Pertold-Gebicka, Barbara ; Hatzivarnava-Kazassi, Evi; Vignoli, Daniele ; González, Libertad ; Rentzou, Konstantina; Galdauskaitė, Dovilė; Greulich, Angela ; Dančíková, Zuzana; Rakar, Tatjana; Brini, Elisa ; Schmidt, Eva-Maria ; Bártová, Alžběta;

    Zitatform

    Spitzer, Sonja, Adèle Lemoine, Zhanxiong Song, Claudia Reiter, Angela Greulich, Agneta Herlitz, Alžběta Bártová, Elisa Brini, Zuzana Dančíková, Dovilė Galdauskaitė, Libertad González, Evi Hatzivarnava-Kazassi, Helena Honkaniemi, Sol Pía Juárez, Rannveig Kaldager Hart, Ida Lykke Kristiansen, Anna Kurowska, Katre Pall, Barbara Pertold-Gebicka, Tatjana Rakar, Tapio Räsänen, Konstantina Rentzou, Pedro Romero Balsas, Eva-Maria Schmidt, Laurène Thil, Dora Tuda, Lili Vargha, Katharina Wrohlich, Sander Wagner & Daniele Vignoli (2026): The European Parenting Leave Policies (EPLP) dataset: Leave duration entitlements for 21 countries from 1970 to 2024. In: Demographic Research, Jg. 54, S. 987-1008. DOI:10.4054/demres.2026.54.31

    Abstract

    "Background: Parenting leave policies shape how caregiving and paid work can be reconciled around the time of childbirth. They have important implications for fertility, employment, and gender equality. Still, there are limited quantitative cross-country data capturing long-term policy changes that impact how long parents can temporarily be away from work to care for their children, and how leave can be shared between them. Objective: The European Parenting Leave Policies (EPLP) Dataset provides harmonised regulations on maternity, co-parent, paid parental, and job-protected leave across 21 European countries from 1970 to 2024. It focuses on policies that shape how long birth mothers and their co-parents can take leave. Methods: Statutory leave entitlements were compiled from national legal sources, official government publications, and secondary literature. We followed a consistent set of data collection rules to enable comparison across countries and over time. Because the dataset focuses on time away from the job, it considers only rights for employed parents. It includes 33 variables and also documents country-specific reform timelines. Contribution: The EPLP Dataset fills a gap in existing data sources by providing quantitative data across 55 years on policies that shape how long parents stay at home around birth and how leave is shared between them. In addition to leave duration and benefits, it covers recent policy instruments such as incentives for parents to share leave, and timing and flexibility of leave use. The dataset enables cross-national comparisons and the analysis of changes over time, and can be used to study the effects of policy reforms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Max-Planck-Institut für demographische Forschung) ((en))

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    Parental leave quotas and workplace spillovers (2026)

    Tallås Alhzén, Malin;

    Zitatform

    Tallås Alhzén, Malin (2026): Parental leave quotas and workplace spillovers. (Working papers / Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy 2026,05), Uppsala, 52 S.

    Abstract

    "This paper studies how parental leave quotas may foster a more gender-equal division of parental responsibilities by increasing fathers' uptake of leave beyond the reserved amount. Specifically, the paper examines whether the introduction and expansion of 30-days parental leave quotas in Sweden generated spillover effects on male coworkers' leave-taking behavior. Using rich population register data and a regression discontinuity design, I find no evidence that the first quota introduced in 1995 affected male coworkers' uptake of parental leave. In contrast, the 2002 expansion of the quota led to a statistically significant increase of almost nine additional days of parental leave taken by male coworkers. The increase primarily occurred early in the child's life. As such, the increased uptake can be expected to contribute to a more equal division of parental responsibilities also in the long run. The absence of spillovers following the initial reform is consistent with the first quota being more distorting in nature and offering limited information about longer parental leave spells. The findings underscore the importance of societal context and policy design in shaping behavioral responses to parental leave reforms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Parental Leave Benefits and Gender Inequality: Evidence from a Benefits Cap for High-Earning Mothers (2026)

    Waights, Sevrin ;

    Zitatform

    Waights, Sevrin (2026): Parental Leave Benefits and Gender Inequality: Evidence from a Benefits Cap for High-Earning Mothers. In: The Economic Journal, Jg. 136, H. 675, S. 965-996. DOI:10.1093/ej/ueaf078

    Abstract

    "I use the universe of tax returns in Germany and a regression kink design to estimate the impacts of mothers’ parental leave benefit amounts on couple earnings inequality. I make use of a benefits cap to estimate the causal impacts for high-earning women; a group for which earnings inequality is particularly large. A lower mothers’ benefit amount results in a reduced gender gap in earnings that persists beyond the benefit period for at least nine years after the birth. The longer-term impacts are driven by couples where the mother earned more than her partner pre-birth. Simulations suggest that a 10% reduction in the benefit amount could reduce long-run child penalties in sample couples from 63 to 46%." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Fertility and Family Leave Policies in Germany: Optimal Policy Design in a Dynamic Framework (2026)

    Wang, Hanna ;

    Zitatform

    Wang, Hanna (2026): Fertility and Family Leave Policies in Germany: Optimal Policy Design in a Dynamic Framework. (RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 2026,29), Berlin, 71 S.

    Abstract

    "I develop and estimate a life-cycle discrete-choice model of fertility and female labor supply to study the optimal design of a range of child-related policies. First, I examine two German reforms that introduced wage-contingent parental leave payments and expanded access to low-cost public childcare. I find that both reforms raised completed fertility, with the parental leave reform having a particularly strong impact on highly educated women. Second, I solve for a budget-neutral optimal policy portfolio that maximizes either aggregate welfare or fertility, while ensuring that welfare and fertility do not decline for any education group. I consider four prominent child subsidies as well as the degree of tax jointness. My results show that optimal policy has the potential to increase welfare by 0.5% or fertility by 5.7%. While the solutions are qualitatively similar, they prioritize different policy instruments depending on the specific objective being targeted." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Das Arbeitskräftepotenzial von Frauen - ein Weg aus dem Fachkräftemangel? (2026)

    Wanger, Susanne ;

    Zitatform

    Wanger, Susanne (2026): Das Arbeitskräftepotenzial von Frauen - ein Weg aus dem Fachkräftemangel? In: S. Bothfeld, C. Hohendanner, P. Schütt & A. Yollu-Tok (Hrsg.) (2026): Geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik, S. 75-90, 2025-02-11.

    Abstract

    "Trotz zunehmender Erwerbstätigkeit bleibt die Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen hinter deren Präferenzen zurück. Das unausgeschöpfte Erwerbspotenzial von teilzeitbeschäftigten Frauen, die ihre Arbeitszeit ausdehnen möchten, entspricht derzeit knapp 700.000 Vollzeitäquivalenten. Die Realisierung der Arbeitszeitwünsche und die Ausschöpfung des ungenutztem Arbeitsvolumens bei Frauen verlangt jedoch die Schaffung von günstigen Rahmenbedingungen, wie etwa bedarfsgerechte Kinderbetreuung und stärkere finanzielle Anreize für eine gleichmäßigere Aufteilung der Erwerbs- und Sorgearbeit." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

    Beteiligte aus dem IAB

    Wanger, Susanne ;
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    Unveiling hidden impacts: heterogeneous effects of extended parental leave on mothers’ labour outcomes* (2026)

    Zhao, Qiongda; Zhang, Zhuo;

    Zitatform

    Zhao, Qiongda & Zhuo Zhang (2026): Unveiling hidden impacts: heterogeneous effects of extended parental leave on mothers’ labour outcomes*. In: Applied Economics, S. 1-16. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2026.2624050

    Abstract

    "This paper examines the impact of extended parental leave benefits in Canada on mothers’ earnings following childbirth. We exploit a sharp policy cut-off and implement a regression discontinuity design combined with a difference-in-differences approach (RD-DD), comparing mothers who gave birth shortly before and after the reform. We find that the extension of cash benefits leads to a reduction in mothers’ earnings in the short run, reflecting delayed returns to work. In contrast, medium- and long-run effects on average earnings are small and statistically insignificant. These null mean effects, however, conceal substantial heterogeneity. Quantile regression estimates show that extending cash benefits without extending job protection generates sizable earnings losses among high-earning mothers, whereas extending job protection substantially mitigates these losses and yields positive effects for middle-earning mothers. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of job protection in parental leave design, suggesting that it helps high-earning mothers maintain career continuity while providing greater stability for middle earners." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Motherhood and Systemic Gender Pay Gap Faced by Women in European Union Countries (2026)

    Zhu, Ning; Gaweł, Aleksandra ; Toikko, Timo ;

    Zitatform

    Zhu, Ning, Aleksandra Gaweł & Timo Toikko (2026): Motherhood and Systemic Gender Pay Gap Faced by Women in European Union Countries. In: Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Jg. 47, H. 1, S. 160-178. DOI:10.1007/s10834-025-10072-6

    Abstract

    "Despite progress in reducing gender pay disparities, wage inequalities remain persistent across European Union (EU) countries, and due to motherhood penalties, the situation for mothers is even more disadvantageous compared to childless women. As women are often perceived through the lens of stereotypical maternal roles—even if they are not yet mothers—these expectations frequently intersect with personal choices as well as the embodied and material realities of caregiving. In this study, we examine the impact of motherhood and its interactions with other factors on the gender pay gap from a macro-level systemic perspective, using panel data from 27 EU countries between 2006 and 2022. Key findings indicate that motherhood-related factors such as fertility rates and the timing of childbirth have complex relationships with the pay gap, often interacting through education and flexible work arrangements. While delayed childbirth reduces gender pay gaps by mitigating career interruptions, structural and cultural supports are critical factors in alleviating wage penalties. We also confirm the significant influence of women’s educational attainment, employment rate, and flexibility in employment on wage disparities. The study underscores the importance of integrating family-friendly policies, promoting flexible yet equitable work conditions, and addressing biases surrounding motherhood to achieve gender pay equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    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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    Reducing the child penalty by incentivizing maternal part-time work? (2025)

    Baertsch, Laurenz; Sandner, Malte ;

    Zitatform

    Baertsch, Laurenz & Malte Sandner (2025): Reducing the child penalty by incentivizing maternal part-time work? In: Labour Economics, Jg. 95, 2025-07-08. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2025.102759

    Abstract

    "Governments worldwide are discussing ways to increase maternal labor market participation and to reduce the child penalty. This study analyzes the long run effects of a paid parental leave reform in Germany, a country characterized by high rates of maternal part-time employment after childbirth. The reform introduced additional financial incentives for mothers to engage in part-time work during the first two years following childbirth. Using German social security records, we exploit the fact that only mothers whose child is born in or after July 2015 are eligible for the new part-time parental leave option in a Difference-in-Differences strategy. We find that the policy increased the probability that high-income mothers return to work during the first year after child birth by 2.1–2.8 percentage points (≈ 15%–20%).However, the policy does not affect maternal employment along the extensive or intensive margin (part-time or full-time work) in the long run (i.e. up to 4.5 years after child). This indicates that while the reform successfully encourages early part-time return to work among high-income mothers, it does not significantly reduce the child penalty. However, it does also not trap mothers in part-time employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

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    Sandner, Malte ;
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    The labor market effects of pregnancy accommodation laws (2025)

    Battaglia, Emily; Brown, Jessica H.;

    Zitatform

    Battaglia, Emily & Jessica H. Brown (2025): The labor market effects of pregnancy accommodation laws. In: Journal of Population Economics, Jg. 38, H. 4. DOI:10.1007/s00148-025-01141-z

    Abstract

    "Pregnancy accommodation laws require “reasonable accommodations” for pregnant workers, i.e., sitting down, lifting restrictions, and additional bathroom breaks. Although these laws may make it easier for women to remain employed during pregnancy, as a mandated benefit, they may also discourage employers from hiring employees who may become pregnant. We estimate the effect of pregnancy accommodation laws on labor market outcomes for women of childbearing age in order to determine whether these laws lead employers to discriminate against young women in hiring. Using a difference-in-differences design comparing women’s labor market outcomes across states throughout the staggered roll-out of thirteen state pregnancy accommodation laws from 2013 to 2016, we find no impact on female employment and wages. These null results are robust to a triple differences design that uses men’s labor market outcomes as an additional control. Subgroupanalyses of groups most likely to be affected, including those with less education, in more physically intense occupations, and married without children, also show no consistent impact of the new laws. These results suggest that this group-specific mandated benefit did not lead to discrimination in the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    When Mothers Out-Earn Fathers: Effects on Fathers' Decisions to Take Paternity and Parental Leave (2025)

    Biasi, Paola ; Gioia, Francesca ; De Paola, Maria ;

    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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    The Role of Parental Leave Policies in Mitigating Child Penalties: Insights from Italy (2025)

    Biasi, Paola ; De Paola, Maria ;

    Zitatform

    Biasi, Paola & Maria De Paola (2025): The Role of Parental Leave Policies in Mitigating Child Penalties: Insights from Italy. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 253. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2025.112355

    Abstract

    "This study examines child penalties for mothers and fathers in Italy by using novel administrative data. Relying on an event study approach, we find that childbirth affects mothers' earnings negatively, while fathers' earnings remain largely unaffected. However, when leave allowances are included in earnings, the child penalty for women nearly disappears in the year of childbirth and drops by more than half in the following year. Subsequently mothers’ earnings quickly return to pre-birth levels, but never catch up to fathers' earnings, which follow an upward trajectory, increasing by approximately 46% seven years after childbirth." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

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    Selection into maternity leave length and long-run maternal health in Germany (2025)

    Bister, Lara ; Hedel, Karen van ; Eibich, Peter ; Kühn, Mine ; Rutigliano, Roberta ;

    Zitatform

    Bister, Lara, Peter Eibich, Roberta Rutigliano, Mine Kühn & Karen van Hedel (2025): Selection into maternity leave length and long-run maternal health in Germany. In: Journal of Social Policy, Jg. 54, H. 2, S. 528-547. DOI:10.1017/S0047279423000429

    Abstract

    "Existing literature shows the importance of maternity leave as a strategy for women to balance work and family responsibilities. However, only a few studies focused on the long-run impact of maternity leave length on maternal health. Therefore, how exactly they are related remains unclear. We examine women’s selection into different lengths of maternity leave as a potential explanation for the inconclusive findings in the literature on the association between maternity leave and maternal health. This study aims to unravel the association between maternity leave length and mothers’ long-term health in Germany. Drawing on detailed data from the German Statutory Pension Fund (DRV), we estimated the association between maternity leave length and sick leave from 3 years following their child’s birth for 4,243 women living in Germany in 2015 by applying discrete-time logistic regression. Our results show a negative relationship between maternity-leave length and long-term maternal health, likely driven by negative health selection. Long maternity leaves of more than 24 months were associated with worse maternal health in the long run, while a positive association emerged for vulnerable women with pre-existing health problems." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Supporting men as fathers: the value of a UK community dads’ project during the COVID-19 pandemic (2025)

    Blackwell, Ian ; Carter Dillon, Rebecca ;

    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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    Family-Friendly Policies and Fertility: What Firms Have to Do With It? (2025)

    Bover, Olympia; Ruggieri, Alessandro ; Guner, Nezih ; Sanz, Carlos ; Kulikova, Yuliya;

    Zitatform

    Bover, Olympia, Nezih Guner, Yuliya Kulikova, Alessandro Ruggieri & Carlos Sanz (2025): Family-Friendly Policies and Fertility: What Firms Have to Do With It? (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20411), London, 67 S.

    Abstract

    "Family-friendly policies aim to help women balance work and family life, encouraging them to participate in the labor market. How effective are such policies in increasing fertility? We answer this question using a search model of the labor market where firms make hiring, promotion, and firing decisions, taking into account how these decisions affect workers' fertility incentives and labor force participation decisions. We estimate the model using administrative data from Spain, a country with very low fertility and a highly regulated labor market. We use the model to study family-friendly policies and demonstrate that firms' reactions result in a trade-off: policies that increase fertility reduce women's participation in the labor market and lower their lifetime earnings." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    How Do Firms Respond to Parental Leave Absences? (2025)

    Brenøe, Anne Ardila ; Zweimüller, Josef; Krenk, Urša; Steinhauer, Andreas ;

    Zitatform

    Brenøe, Anne Ardila, Urša Krenk, Andreas Steinhauer & Josef Zweimüller (2025): How Do Firms Respond to Parental Leave Absences? (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20140), London, 42 S.

    Abstract

    "How do firms adjust their labor demand when a female employee takes temporary leave after childbirth? Using Austrian administrative data, we compare firms with and without a birth event and exploit policy reforms that significantly altered leave durations. We find that (i) firms adjust hiring, employment, and wages around leave periods, but these effects fade quickly; (ii) adjustments differ sharply by gender, reflecting strong gender segregation within firms; (iii) longer leave entitlements extend actual leave absences but have only short-term effects; and (iv) there is no impact on firm closure up to five years after birth." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Väter, die länger in Elternzeit sind, arbeiten auch längerfristig weniger (Serie "Equal Pay Day 2025") (2025)

    Bächmann, Ann-Christin ; Frodermann, Corinna ; Filser, Andreas ;

    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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    Unterstützung substanzieller Erwerbstätigkeit und partnerschaftlicher Aufgabenteilung durch pauschale finanzielle Anreize: Einzelfallbeispiele und Simulationsrechnungen (2025)

    Calahorrano, Lena; Molitor, Pia; Rebaudo, Mara;

    Zitatform

    Calahorrano, Lena, Pia Molitor & Mara Rebaudo (2025): Unterstützung substanzieller Erwerbstätigkeit und partnerschaftlicher Aufgabenteilung durch pauschale finanzielle Anreize. Einzelfallbeispiele und Simulationsrechnungen. 27 S.

    Abstract

    "Im vorliegenden Bericht wurde das Angebot individueller Pauschalen, mit der die wirtschaftliche Eigenständigkeit und gleichberechtigte Verteilung von Pflege- und Betreuungsaufgaben von Frauen und Männern unterstützt, untersucht. Diese individuellen Pauschalen kämen auch allein stehenden Personen zugute, die eine vollzeitnahe Erwerbstätigkeit mit Pflege- oder Betreuungs verantwortung vereinbaren. Konkret wird unterstellt, dass sowohl Eltern von Kindern von zwei bis zwölf Jahren als auch informell Pflegende für ein Jahr jeweils 300 Euro monatlich beziehen kön nen, wenn sowohl sie selbst als auch ihr Partner oder ihre Partnerin (falls vorhanden) im vollzeit nahen Korridor zwischen 32 und 36 Wochenstunden erwerbstätig sind. Die individuellen Pauscha len wären steuerfrei, unterlägen jedoch dem Progressionsvorbehalt bei der Einkommensteuer. Anhand von Fallbeispielen haben wir gezeigt, dass sich Alleinstehende und Paare finanziell bes serstellen würden, wenn sie sich aufgrund des neuen Angebots in Lebensphasen mit mehr Care Verantwortung für eine vollzeitnahe Erwerbstätigkeit entscheiden würden – im Vergleich zu einer Situation, in der keine oder eine Teilzeiterwerbstätigkeit geleistet wird. Die pauschale finanzielle Unterstützung in Höhe von 300 Euro monatlich je Person schafft dafür einen zusätzlichen finan ziellen Anreiz. Auf Grundlage von Daten des SOEP haben wir simuliert, welcher Anteil der potenziell Berechtigten die Arbeitszeit so anpassen würde, dass die jeweiligen Paare für die Inanspruchnahme des Ange bots berechtigt wären. Insgesamt würde sich das Arbeitsvolumen in Deutschland durch die Ein führung solcher Pauschalen erhöhen. Mittelfristig wäre eine steigende Inanspruchnahme zu er warten, wenn sich Präferenzen und Normen hin zu einer vollzeitnahen Erwerbstätigkeit von Frauen und zu einer gemeinsamen Aufteilung von Care-Arbeit ändern. Die Ausgestaltung das Angebots als individuelle Pauschale könnte dazu beitragen, besonders Menschen mit geringeren Einkommen zu erreichen. Bei gegebenen individuellen Präferenzen, Arbeitsmarktrestriktionen sowie Restriktionen aufgrund von fehlender Kinderbetreuungs- und Pflegeinfrastruktur würden etwa 2,3 Prozent der potenziell berechtigten Paare und 20 Prozent der potenziell berechtigten alleinstehenden Frauen in den voll zeitnahen Arbeitsstundenkorridor fallen, in dem sie für den Bezug einer individuellen Pauschale berechtigt wären. Dies entspricht netto rund 3.600 zusätzlichen Vollzeitäquivalenten bei Paaren und 9.100 zusätzlichen Vollzeitäquivalenten bei Alleinstehenden bzw. Alleinerziehenden. Wir schätzen die jährlichen Nettokosten, unter Berücksichtigung von Mehreinnahmen bei der Einkommensteuer und der Sozialversicherung aufgrund der durchschnittlich erhöhten Arbeitszeit, auf rund 260 Millionen Euro jährlich." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

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    Beliefs and Realities of Work and Care After Childbirth (2025)

    Caplin, Andrew; Tonetti, Christopher; Leth-Petersen, Søren ;

    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))

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    The Effects of Extended Parental Benefits on Parents’ Employment and Earnings in Canada (2025)

    Choi, Youjin ; Margolis, Rachel ; Holm, Anders ;

    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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    Elterngeld: Mindest- und Höchstbetrag haben seit der Einführung real 27 Prozent an Wert verloren (2025)

    Collischon, Matthias ;

    Zitatform

    Collischon, Matthias (2025): Elterngeld: Mindest- und Höchstbetrag haben seit der Einführung real 27 Prozent an Wert verloren. In: IAB-Forum – Grafik aktuell H. 20.03.2025. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.GA.20250320.01

    Abstract

    "Die Geburtenrate in Deutschland ist niedrig, laut statistischem Bundesamt lag sie im Jahr 2023 bei 1,35 Geburten je Frau. Die Politik versucht einen Anreiz zum Kinderkriegen zu schaffen, unter anderem mit dem Elterngeld, das 2007 eingeführt wurde. Der Mindestbetrag liegt hier bei 300 Euro im Monat, der Höchstbetrag bei 1.800 Euro. Diese Beträge wurden, im Gegensatz zu anderen Sozialleistungen, seit der Einführung nicht angepasst und haben somit effektiv an Wert verloren." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

    Beteiligte aus dem IAB

    Collischon, Matthias ;
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    Employer-provided childcare across the 50 United States: the normative importance of public childcare and female leadership (2025)

    Daiger von Gleichen, Rosa ;

    Zitatform

    Daiger von Gleichen, Rosa (2025): Employer-provided childcare across the 50 United States: the normative importance of public childcare and female leadership. In: Journal of Social Policy, Jg. 54, H. 2, S. 574-594. DOI:10.1017/S0047279423000491

    Abstract

    "Employer family policy tends to be conceived as employers’ response to economic pressures, with the relevance of normative factors given comparatively little weight. This study questions this status quo, examining the normative relevance of public childcare and female leadership to employer childcare. Logistic regression analyses are performed on data from the 2016 National Study of Employers (NSE), a representative study of private sector employers in the United States. The findings show that public childcare is relevant for those forms of employer childcare more plausibly explained as the result of employers’ normative as opposed to economic considerations. The findings further suggest that female leaders are highly relevant for employer childcare, but that this significance differs depending on whether the form of employer childcare is more likely of economic versus normative importance to employers. The study provides an empirical contribution in that it is the first to use representative data of the United States to examine the relevance of state-level public childcare and female leadership. Its theoretical contribution is to show that normative explanations for employer childcare provision are likely underestimated in U.S. employer family policy research." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Beyond the clock: how individual, workplace, and organizational overtime work shape parental leave uptake in Sweden (2025)

    Debruyne, Flore;

    Zitatform

    Debruyne, Flore (2025): Beyond the clock: how individual, workplace, and organizational overtime work shape parental leave uptake in Sweden. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2590710

    Abstract

    "The transition to parenthood is a major life-course event that shapes women’s labor market participation and men’s involvement in caregiving. ‘Greedy’ work has been used to explain these gendered patterns, as demanding jobs hinder couples from enacting a more egalitarian division of labor. While studies have investigated how ‘greediness’ affects mothers’ employment and salary, especially in the US, far fewer examine fathers, who may be constrained from fulfilling caregiving roles when pressured to prioritize paid work. Additionally, such studies tend to conflate individual – and contextual-level processes. This study fills this gap by exploring how overtime – at the individual, workplace and organizational levels – relates to parental leave uptake among fathers and mothers. It utilizes extensive survey data linked to administrative register data covering the entire Swedish population. Findings showed that fathers’ individual overtime work was unrelated to parental leave uptake. However, working in a workplace or organization where colleagues worked overtime led to lower leave uptake. For mothers, overtime at any level was unrelated to leave uptake. By examining how parental leave uptake is embedded within three interrelated frameworks – devotion schemas, the ideal worker norm, and greedy institutions – we gain a comprehensive understanding of how overtime work shapes parental leave uptake." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Can Paternity Leave Reduce the Gender Earnings Gap? (2025)

    Diallo, Yaya; Renée, Laetitia; Lange, Fabian ;

    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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    Kita-Versorgungsungleichheiten - eine Analyse auf Stadtteilebene (2025)

    Diermeier, Matthias; Fremerey, Melinda ; Wansleben, Leon; Engler, Jan;

    Zitatform

    Diermeier, Matthias, Jan Engler, Melinda Fremerey & Leon Wansleben (2025): Kita-Versorgungsungleichheiten - eine Analyse auf Stadtteilebene. (IW-Kurzberichte / Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft Köln 2025,41), Köln, 3 S.

    Abstract

    "Der Zugang zu frühkindlicher Bildung hängt auch in Deutschland stark von der sozio-ökonomischen Segregation der Städte ab. Innerhalb derselben Stadt gibt es in wohlsituierten Vierteln im Durchschnitt ein Drittel mehr Kitas pro Anzahl Kinder als in sozio-ökonomisch prekären Räumen. Dieser Unterschied geht darauf zurück, dass sich konfessionelle- und private-gemeinnütze Kitas deutlich häufiger in prosperierenden Quartieren ansiedeln als in sozial schwachen Stadtteilen – öffentliche Kitas können dies nicht kompensieren." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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  • Literaturhinweis

    To Take Leave or Not to Take and How Long to Take? A Study on Swedish Fathers’ Parental Leave Use (2025)

    Duvander, Ann-Zofie ; Fahlén, Susanne ;

    Zitatform

    Duvander, Ann-Zofie & Susanne Fahlén (2025): To Take Leave or Not to Take and How Long to Take? A Study on Swedish Fathers’ Parental Leave Use. In: Journal of Family Issues, Jg. 46, H. 6, S. 1050-1078. DOI:10.1177/0192513x251329594

    Abstract

    "Research on determinants of fathers’ parental leave use often focuses on fathers’ characteristics but leave out that decisions are negotiated with the mother. This study asks how fathers’ and mothers’ characteristics as well as their combination are associated with fathers’ leave use in Sweden, a country where parental leave sharing is encouraged. The results indicate that both fathers’ and mothers’ income and education matter for how long leave the father takes, albeit in gendered ways. Fathers with the lowest income tend not to use leave but if the mother also have no (or low) income, he will use long leave. Among middle-income fathers, a short leave is most common but if the mother has high income, they will instead use a long leave. Fathers’and mothers’ tertiary education are positively associated with leave and two tertiary educations lead to a long leave rather than a short leave." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Towards more gender equal parental time allocation: Norway, 1980–2010 (2025)

    Ellingsæter, Anne Lise ; Kitterød, Ragni Hege ;

    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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    Parenting leave and gender in Spain: terminology, rationale and design (2025)

    Escobedo, Anna; Moss, Peter;

    Zitatform

    Escobedo, Anna & Peter Moss (2025): Parenting leave and gender in Spain: terminology, rationale and design. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-11. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2481861

    Abstract

    "This Policy Note examines moves to ‘de-gender’ parenting leaves, focusing on the case of Spain, where recent policy developments have replaced ‘Maternity leave’ and ‘Paternity leave’ with gender-neutral terms, and equalised fathers’ to mothers’ formal entitlements for these leaves at birth, instead of moving the focus to develop paid Parental leave. The rationale for and early results of change are considered, before adding examples of changes from other countries, some of which have taken a different approach to gender neutrality based on more extended periods of paid Parental leave accessible and affordable for both parents. Some of the issues raised by such developments are discussed, including whether moves to de-gender leave facilitate or hinder gender equality, the balance between rigidity and flexibility in leave policies, and the representation of children’s interests in leave policy. The conclusion of thePolicy Note is that gender neutral terminology, by itself, is insufficient and that leave policy design is necessary to incentivise more equal use and more equal impacts on parents, though even then the fundamental question remains: does re-design require equal treatment in all respects or do biological differences justify some differences in leave policy?" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Paternity leave in Spain (2025)

    Farré, Lídia ; González, Libertad ; Hupkau, Claudia ; Ruiz-Valenzuela, Jenifer ;

    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

    Paternity leave in Spain (2025)

    Farré, Lídia ; González, Libertad ; Ruiz-Valenzuela, Jenifer ; Hupkau, Claudia ;

    Zitatform

    Farré, Lídia, Libertad González, Claudia Hupkau & Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela (2025): Paternity leave in Spain. (CEP discussion paper / Centre for Economic Performance 2111), London, 47 S.

    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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    Converging mothers' employment trajectories between East and West Germany? A focus on the 2008‐childcare‐reform (2025)

    Fauser, Sophia ; Levanon, Asaf ; Struffolino, Emanuela ;

    Zitatform

    Fauser, Sophia, Emanuela Struffolino & Asaf Levanon (2025): Converging mothers' employment trajectories between East and West Germany? A focus on the 2008‐childcare‐reform. In: Journal of Marriage and Family, Jg. 87, H. 2, S. 566-589. DOI:10.1111/jomf.13040

    Abstract

    "Objective: Aiming to generate evidence on how contextual conditions shape individuals' opportunities and constraints and, ultimately, life courses, we focus on a period of childcare expansion in reunified Germany. We investigate differences in employment trajectories around mothers' first childbirths to identify potential East–West convergence. Background: During Germany's division (1949–1990), universal public childcare and female full-time employment were the norm in East Germany, while the male breadwinner model was dominant in the West. These differences, although declining, persisted even decades after reunification. In 2008, a reform aimed at expanding childcare availability to facilitate mothers' employment throughout the country. Methods: We measure East–West differences in employment trajectories around childbirth pre- (1990–2007) and post-reform(2008–2021) in terms of timing, order, and duration of events over time. We use data on 359 East and 986 West German first-time-mothers from the German Socio-Economic Panel and sequence analysis tools. Results: Before the reform, employment trajectories between East and West German mothers differed both in timing and duration of employment states. After the reform, these differences decreased, showing a general convergence in the prevalence of post-birth part-time employment. Nonetheless, longer maternity leave is still more prevalent among West German mothers, while East German mothers are more likely to maintain full-time jobs. Conclusion: Our findings show how policy settings and reforms shape life courses in a context-dependent fashion. They illustrate the importance of a methodological approach that focuses on process outcomes and supports a theoretical perspective that highlights how historical time and place shape life courses." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    Do I feel entitled to it? Caring dads after the equalization of parental leave in Spain (2025)

    Fernández-Cornejo, José Andrés ; Palomo-Vadillo, Maite; Escot, Lorenzo ; Del Pozo-García, Eva ; Cáceres-Ruiz, Juan Ignacio; Castellanos-Serrano, Cristina ;

    Zitatform

    Fernández-Cornejo, José Andrés, Cristina Castellanos-Serrano, Eva Del Pozo-García, Maite Palomo-Vadillo, Juan Ignacio Cáceres-Ruiz & Lorenzo Escot (2025): Do I feel entitled to it? Caring dads after the equalization of parental leave in Spain. In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, Jg. 45, H. 3/4, S. 346-364. DOI:10.1108/ijssp-08-2024-0406

    Abstract

    "Purpose: In January 2021, Spanish paid parental leave for fathers was fully equated with that for mothers. Is this facilitating working fathers developing an identity of caring fathers? Design/methodology/approach We conducted qualitative research based on 31 interviews with heterosexual fathers residing in Spain, who had a child from January 1, 2021 onwards, who cohabited with the baby ’s mother, and who were salaried. We also added two mothers with the same characteristics and seven human resources managers from large companies. Findings There has been a rapid acceptance and normalization of the use of these new equalized leaves. For many fathers this has been accompanied by the experience of a greater sense of “being legitimized ” to engage in caregiving. The intensity of this process could be subject to two opposing forces. One in favor, especially when fathers care alone for as long as possible; and one against, when fathers assume the role of the mother’s helper and when the support of significant and relevant others is lacking in several domains, including the work place. Social implications Whether this ambivalence is resolved in favor of advancement could depend on how successful public policy is. Reforms of parental leave systems should encourage men to take on single-handed care, and companies should be encouraged to become more aware of the need for co-responsibility between fathers and mothers in childcare. Originality/value Spain now has one of the most gender-equal parental leave systems in the world. It is important to know what meaning new fathers are giving to this advance and to what extent this is facilitating the emergence of a caregiving masculinity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © EmeraldGroup) ((en))

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    A social class analysis of desire and outcome concerning parental leave among first-time parents in Sweden: theoretical perspectives and reflections on policy relevance (2025)

    Flisbäck, Marita ;

    Zitatform

    Flisbäck, Marita (2025): A social class analysis of desire and outcome concerning parental leave among first-time parents in Sweden: theoretical perspectives and reflections on policy relevance. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-20. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2575769

    Abstract

    "Parenthood is a practice through which both gender and class are created. Drawing on longitudinal qualitative interviews, this article explores how these processes unfold during the initial phase of parenthood. Analyzing Swedish first-time parents' plans and actual outcomes regarding parental leave, three main motivations emerge: promoting gender equality, bonding with their child, and creating a meaningful life. However, parents in blue-collar occupations seem to distance themselves from the rhetoric of Swedish gender equality policy. For them, parental leave is less about equal opportunities in family and work, and more about solidarity and collective responsibility. A further distinction arises between viewing parental leave as a way to enjoy the present and as a future investment – an idea echoed in recent Swedish family policy. These 'social distinctions' contribute to the formation of different existential mottos that shape parental engagement. Moreover, depending on their cultural and economic capital, and their positions within occupational fields, parents develop varying strategies to align the practice with their wishes. In this context, real freedom diverges from statutory rights. The limits of decommodification within the Swedish parental insurance system appear to affect both the most and least in-demand groups in the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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    From homemakers to breadwinners? How mandatory kindergarten affects maternal labor market outcomes (2025)

    Gangl, Selina ; Huber, Martin ;

    Zitatform

    Gangl, Selina & Martin Huber (2025): From homemakers to breadwinners? How mandatory kindergarten affects maternal labor market outcomes. In: Journal of Population Economics, Jg. 38, H. 2. DOI:10.1007/s00148-025-01099-y

    Abstract

    "The majority of Swiss children attend mandatory and cost-free kindergarten at age four. We examine the effect of this policy on maternal labor market outcomes. Using administrative data from Switzerland, we exploit the birthday cut-off for kindergarten entry in the same or in the following year and apply a non-parametric regression discontinuity design (RDD). We find that mandatory kindergarten has a statistically significant positive effect on the labour market attachment of previously non-employed mothers, increasing their employment probability by 4 percentage points. In contrast, there are no significant effects on other groups or in the total sample of mothers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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