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
Disaggregating Gender Income Disparities in STEM: Cohort and Family Factors in a Nordic Welfare State (2026)
Zitatform
Bairoh, Susanna, Satu Pyöriä & Niklas Mäkinen (2026): Disaggregating Gender Income Disparities in STEM: Cohort and Family Factors in a Nordic Welfare State. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 40, H. 1, S. 113-134. DOI:10.1177/09500170251366157
Abstract
"The article examines the income trajectories of women and men in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in Finland, a country within the Nordic labour market context that strives for gender equality. The study uses total population register data from Finnish STEM degree holders with at least a bachelor’s degree, aged 30–40 years, selecting cohorts born in 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and 1980 (N = 31,865). This study estimates how cohort, becoming a parent, and co-residing with a spouse affect income trajectories for women and men. The findings reveal persistent gender income disparities across cohorts, with economic turbulence potentially widening the differences. The results support the motherhood penalty and, unexpectedly, address a ‘living-alone penalty’ for men. Even with a design examining STEM graduates at the same career stage, gender differences remain significant and are not alleviated by the Nordic welfare state context." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Does Performance Pay Increase the Risk of Worker Loneliness? (2026)
Zitatform
Baktash, Mehrzad B. (2026): Does Performance Pay Increase the Risk of Worker Loneliness? In: Kyklos, Jg. 79, H. 1, S. 129-148. DOI:10.1111/kykl.70018
Abstract
"Increased wages and productivity associated with performance pay can be beneficial to both employers and employees. However, performance pay can also entail unintended consequences for workers' well-being. This study is the first to systematically examine the association between performance pay and loneliness, a significant policy-relevant social well-being concern. Using representative survey data from Germany, I show that performance pay is significantly associated with increased loneliness. Correspondingly, performance pay is negatively associated with the social life satisfaction of workers. Investigating the transmission channels reveals work hours, earnings, conflict with coworkers, and conflict with the life partner as important mediators. The key findings also hold in sensible instrumental variable estimations, addressing the potential endogeneity of performance pay and in various robustness checks. Finally, implications are discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Falling behind unequally: labour market outcomes of Italian couples after childbirth* (2026)
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 analysetransitions 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
Debiasing entrepreneurial careers: A field experiment on female role model effects on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and early-stage career choices (2026)
Bechthold, Laura; Huber, Laura Rosendahl; Eddleston, Kimberly A.;Zitatform
Bechthold, Laura, Laura Rosendahl Huber & Kimberly A. Eddleston (2026): Debiasing entrepreneurial careers: A field experiment on female role model effects on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and early-stage career choices. In: Journal of business venturing, Jg. 41, H. 3. DOI:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2026.106582
Abstract
"Women remain underrepresented not only as founders but also as employees – or “joiners” – in young and small firms, limiting their exposure to entrepreneurial environments that often serve as critical pathways to venture creation. To address this gap, we investigate whether introducing female entrepreneur role models in educational settings can shape young women's entrepreneurial self-efficacy and early career choices. Drawing on role congruity theory and social cognitive career theory (SCCT), we conducted a field experiment involving over 430 university students and 98 early-stage entrepreneurs. Using a pre-test/post-test design and longitudinal tracking of early career choices, we explore the causal effects of exogenously assigned female role models on students' decisions to join a young or small firm. We find that exposure to social interactions with female entrepreneurs significantly boosts female students' entrepreneurial self-efficacy. More importantly, women who were paired with a female entrepreneur were over 10% more likely to join a young firm after graduation compared to those assigned to a male entrepreneur. Mediation analysis confirms that entrepreneurial self-efficacy is a key mechanism linking exposure to same-sex role models with women's decision to join a young firm. These findings highlight the potential of targeted role model interventions to reduce gender disparities in entrepreneurial entry pathways and expand the diversity of entrepreneurial ecosystems." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Labor supply responses to tax credit disbursements: Evidence from the EITC schedule (2026)
Bibler, Andrew J.;Zitatform
Bibler, Andrew J. (2026): Labor supply responses to tax credit disbursements: Evidence from the EITC schedule. In: Economic Inquiry. DOI:10.1111/ecin.70040
Abstract
"The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) schedule and lump-sum disbursement can create significant labor supply responses. I estimate labor supply responses to tax credit disbursements using a regression kink design. Among single workers, credits increase labor supply around the time that tax credits are disbursed at the first and second kinks in the EITC schedule but reduce labor supply on the intensive margin at the third kink. There is some evidence of heterogeneous responses among married women, including an increase in labor supply near the third kink, although findings in the sample of married women appear less robust." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))
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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
Fathers Combining Work and Care: Flexible Work Arrangements and Paternal Involvement Across Financial Situations (2026)
Zitatform
Brega, Carla, Mara A. Yerkes & Marc Grau-Grau (2026): Fathers Combining Work and Care: Flexible Work Arrangements and Paternal Involvement Across Financial Situations. In: Work, Employment and Society, S. 1-25. DOI:10.1177/09500170251386322
Abstract
"Flexible work arrangements significantly impact childcare divisions among dual-earner parents, yet few studies address their impact on fathers as primary caregivers. This article explores the relationship between fathers’ ability to work flexibly and their share of childcare responsibility across financial situations. A capabilities perspective is applied to better understand why fathers’ childcare aspirations may not align with what they are capable of in practice. Using 2021 survey data on fathers (n = 493) and mothers (n = 472) of young children in different-sex partnerships from four European countries, multinomial logistic regressions are estimated to predict childcare responsibility. Findings suggest fathers’ spatial flexibility (working from home) increases their likelihood of being the person primarily responsible for childcare, whereas temporal flexibility (varying the start/end times of the working day) does not. Economic conditions influence these dynamics, with financially strained fathers benefiting most from spatial flexibility." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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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, S. 1-12. 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
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
Exports, Gender Inequality, and Family Commitment (2026)
Zitatform
Chalermsook, Porjai, Pekka Ilmakunnas & Rudiger von Arnim (2026): Exports, Gender Inequality, and Family Commitment. In: Labour, Jg. 40, H. 1, S. 74-100. DOI:10.1111/labr.70007
Abstract
"This paper examines how exporting firms, gender, and family commitments interact to shape wage disparities. Using Finnish matched employer–employee data, we estimate wage equations that control for firm, worker, and match-specific unobservables. While exporting firms do not exhibit a wider gender wage gap overall, women with young children face additional short-run wage penalties, as shown by an event-study analysis that reveals a temporary but pronounced gap in the early post-childbirth years. These penalties are concentrated in occupations with greater temporal rigidity and limited scheduling flexibility, highlighting workplace flexibility constraints as a key mechanism. The findings suggest that the interaction between export-related temporal demands and caregiving responsibilities contributes to gendered wage dynamics. These results also raise questions about the continuing relevance of gender norms that disadvantage female employees, even in a context with strong public support for parental leave and childcare in Finland." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Die Rolle von Firmen für Geschlechterungleichheit (2026)
Zitatform
Collischon, Matthias & Florian Zimmermann (2026): Die Rolle von Firmen für Geschlechterungleichheit. In: S. Bothfeld, C. Hohendanner, P. Schütt & A. Yollu-Tok (Hrsg.) (2026): Geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik, S. 253-267, 2025-10-05.
Abstract
"Dieser Beitrag untersuchte zwei Mechanismen, durch die Firmen zur Geschlechterungleichheit beitragen können. Erstens könnten Frauen seltener in Hochlohnfirmen arbeiten und zweitens könnten Frauen in derselben Firma geringere Löhne gezahlt werden. Im Hinblick auf die Arbeit in unterschiedlichen Firmen zeigt sich, dass Frauen seltener in Firmen arbeiten, die im Durchschnitt ein höheres Gehalt zahlen. Die Forschung deutet darauf hin, dass diese Segregation – also die Aufteilung von Frauen in Niedriglohnfirmen und Männern in Hochlohnfirmen – einerseits von Arbeitgeberseite bedingt ist, beispielsweise durch Diskriminierung oder durch soziale Schließung. Andererseits können Frauen sich aber auch gezielt bei Firmen bewerben, die geringere Löhne durch andere Vorteile kompensieren, wie beispielsweise seltenere Überstunden (vgl. Cha/Weeden 2014). Insgesamt können Unterschiede zwischen den Firmen, in denen Männer und Frauen arbeiten, rund ein Drittel der bereinigten Geschlechterlohnlücke erklären. Diese immer noch große, verbleibende Lohnlücke zeigt jedoch, dass es auch innerhalb von Betrieben noch Faktoren geben muss, die zu Geschlechterlohnlücken beitragen. Deshalb betrachteten wir im zweiten Schritt Lohnungleichheiten in Firmen und die Bedeutung des organisationalen Kontexts. Hierzu suchten wir gleichstellungsorientierte organisationale Maßnahmen, den Anteil von Managerinnen in Firmen und die Rolle von Tarifverträgen. Hier zeigt die Forschung, dass es jeweils Zusammenhänge mit Geschlechterlohnlücken gibt, diese jedoch nicht immer einfachen Mustern folgen. Beispielsweise könnten eine Erhöhung des Frauenanteils im Management und die Einführung betrieblicher nahmen die Geschlechterlohnlücke verringern. Für Tarifverträge hingegen ist das Bild uneindeutig. Die Forschung zeigt zwar, dass Lohnlücken in Betrieben, in denen Tarifverträge gelten, kleiner sind, jedoch verringert die Einführung eines Tarifvertrags die Lohnlücke nicht nachweislich. Insgesamt zeigt sich also, dass sowohl Segregation in verschiedene Firmen als auch der organisationale Kontext in Firmen einen substanziellen Teil der Geschlechterlohnlücke erklären kann, jedoch bleibt trotzdem ein unerklärter Rest übrig. Beispielsweise würde selbst bei Erhöhung des Frauenanteils im Management auf Parität, also 50 Prozent, immer noch eine Geschlechterlohnlücke verbleiben (Zimmermann, 2022). Zusammengefasst kann der Blick auf die Ebene von Firmen somit viel zum Verständnis der Geschlechterlohnlücke beitragen, aber sie sind nur Teil eines größeren Puzzles. Dies unterstreicht, wie vielschichtig das Problem der Geschlechterungleichheit ist und dass Maßnahmen auf vielen Ebenen - bei Individuen, in Betrieben, durch die Gesetzgebung - notwendig sind, um diese Lücken zu schließen. Weiterhin besteht auch auf der Firmenebene viel Forschungsbedarf. Während beispielsweise die Repräsentation von Frauen in verschiedenen Führungsebenen untersucht wurde, wissen wir wenig über die genauen Tätigkeiten einzelner Manager:innen, meist werden unterschiedliche Aufgabenbereiche zusammen gefasst. Somit könnte die Kategorisierung in Führungsebenen zu grob sein und eine Unterteilung nach genauen Tätigkeitsprofilen tiefere Einblicke in zugrundeliegende Mechanismen geben. Auf ähnliche Weise sind die untersuchten Maßnahmen in größere Kategorien zusammengefasst, die keine detaillierteren Aussagen erlauben. Schließlich ist auch noch unbekannt, ob die angebotenen Maßnahmen tatsächlich genutzt werden und ob deren Nutzung zur Verringerung der Lohnlücke beiträgt oder das Angebot alleine ausreicht." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Norms and the Labor Market (2026)
Zitatform
Cortés, Patricia, Jisoo Hwang, Jessica Pan & Uta Schönberg (2026): Gender Norms and the Labor Market. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 34716), Cambridge, Mass, 42 S.
Abstract
"Despite substantial convergence in men's and women's economic roles, gender gaps in labor market outcomes persist across countries. This article provides a unified framework for understanding how gender norms shape economic behavior, distinguishing between internalized norms—preferences and beliefs tied to gender identity—and external norms arising from peer pressure and social coordination. We first document cross-country and within-country variation in gender attitudes, alongside gradual but uneven shifts toward more egalitarian views. We then review empirical evidence on the origins, persistence, and transmission of gender norms, and their effects on human capital accumulation, labor supply, wages, and policy take-up. The review highlights both the durability of gender norms and the mechanisms through which policies, institutions, and media can induce norm change, with implications for the design of effective interventions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Beteiligte aus dem IAB
Schönberg, Uta; -
Literaturhinweis
Navigating Motherhood: Endogenous Penalties and Career Choice (2026)
Zitatform
Coskun, Sena, Husnu Dalgic & Yasemin Özdemir (2026): Navigating Motherhood: Endogenous Penalties and Career Choice. (IAB-Discussion Paper 02/2026), Nürnberg, 57 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.DP.2602
Abstract
"Wir dokumentieren, dass Frauen sich vor der Geburt ihres ersten Kindes strategisch in „familienfreundliche” Sektoren sortieren, die durch geringere Erfahrungswerte, aber niedrigere Einbußen pro Kind gekennzeichnet sind. Dieses antizipatorische Sortieren stellt ex-ante Kosten der Mutterschaft dar, die von herkömmlichen Maßen für die Child Penalty gänzlich übersehen werden. Wir entwickeln ein Modell heterogener Akteure für Berufswahl und Fertilität, um diese „Sorting Penalty” zu quantifizieren. Unser zentrales Ergebnis ist, dass der direkte Einkommensverlust durch berufliches Sortieren zwar gering ist, dieses Resultat jedoch die hohe Wirksamkeit der primären Instrumente offenbart, mit denen Frauen Mutterschaft bewältigen: die Qualität-Quantität (Q-Q) und Zeitverwendung (T-E) Trade-offs. Durch empirische Evidenz für beide Spielräume zeigen wir, dass Frauen keine passiven Subjekte von Child Penalties sind; sie sind aktive, strategische Akteurinnen, die diese feineren Abwägungen nutzen, um familiäre Ziele zu erreichen und gleichzeitig berufliche Kosten zu mildern. Unsere Ergebnisse unterstreichen: Da Fertilität und Benachteiligungen zutiefst endogen sind, werden politische Rahmenbedingungen, die diese Trade-offs ausschließen, die Fertilitätsreaktionen und Karrierekosten von Interventionen grundlegend falsch berechnen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
(Not) Thinking About the Future: Financial Information and Maternal Labor Supply (2026)
Zitatform
Costa-Ramón, Ana, Michaela Slotwinski, Ursina Schaede & Anne Ardila Brenøe (2026): (Not) Thinking About the Future: Financial Information and Maternal Labor Supply. In: The Quarterly Journal of Economics. DOI:10.1093/qje/qjag003
Abstract
"Does information about the long-run financial costs of reduced labor supply increase mothers ’ working hours? We document descriptively that long-term financial factors are not top of mind when mothers decide on their employment level. Moreover, a substantial share of women holds overly optimistic expectations about pension receipt and wage growth under part-time work. In a large-scale field experiment in Switzerland, we randomly assign mothers working part-time as teachers to receive objective information about the long-run costs of reduced labor supply. The treatment increases both demand for financial information and future labor supply plans, in particular among women who underestimate the costs of part-time work. Leveraging linked employer administrative data one year post-intervention, we find that this group of mothers increases working hours by 7 percent. These findings underscore that policies reducing information frictions in labor supply decisions may help address remaining gender gaps in the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender pay gap trends across STEM fields: an empirical analysis (2026)
Zitatform
Cruz, João, Amélia Bastos, Sara Falcão Casaca & Isabel Proença (2026): Gender pay gap trends across STEM fields: an empirical analysis. In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, Jg. 46, H. 3-4, S. 426-447. DOI:10.1108/ijssp-02-2025-0090
Abstract
"Purpose: This paper analyses the gender pay gap (GPG) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in Portugal over the past decade, utilising official national earnings data. Design/methodology/approach: A decomposition method is applied to estimate the explained and unexplained components of the GPG both at the mean and across the distribution quartiles of national earnings. This methodology can also be applied to other sectors or countries, providing robust statistical and econometric results relating to the GPG. Findings: The results show that the GPG varies heterogeneously across STEM fields. In occupations relating to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which are included in STEM, the GPG has been widening in recent years, in contrast to the overall trend in the labour force. Originality/value: The GPG in STEM is under-researched, with existing literature indicating a structural gap in these occupations. Understanding this GPG is essential for its reduction and for maximising human capital, which is vital for social and economic growth. This article aims to contribute to the discussion on this topic and offers potential policy recommendations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))
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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
Antecedents of Motherhood Penalties: The Work-Care Preferences of Socioeconomically Diverse Expectant Mothers (2026)
Zitatform
Deming, Sarah M. (2026): Antecedents of Motherhood Penalties: The Work-Care Preferences of Socioeconomically Diverse Expectant Mothers. In: Journal of Family and Economic Issues, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1007/s10834-025-10071-7
Abstract
"This study contributes to the work-family literature in three ways. First, it challenges the emphasis on the economic impacts of motherhood by introducing a framework—Work-Care Preferences (WCP)—that acknowledges how women’s personal orientations to paid work and to motherhood converge to create varied preferences for how (or whether) to best combine the two. Second, documenting how women’s WCPs are influenced by socioeconomic status illuminates a previously unidentified mechanism by which motherhood penalties are unequally experienced. Lastly, by highlighting how expectant mothers’ personal conceptions of paid work influence their subsequent WCPs, it offers opportunities to design workplace and policy-level interventions to support maternal employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Household taxation, nonlinear occupations, and gender gaps (2026)
Zitatform
Denderski, Piotr & Tim Obermeier (2026): Household taxation, nonlinear occupations, and gender gaps. (CEP discussion paper / Centre for Economic Performance 2140), London, 23 S., App.
Abstract
"An enduring source of gender inequality is that some high-paying ("nonlinear") occupations penalize balancing work and household time commitments, as emphasized by Goldin (2014). We ask how household taxation interacts with these occupational differences to shape gender gaps in hours, wages, and occupational choice, and whether these differences materially affect the impact of tax reforms. We address these questions in a structural Roy model of household labor supply with occupation-specific earnings-hours nonlinearities and progressive taxation, calibrated to US data. We find that a balanced-budget switch to separately filed progressive taxes significantly reduces the gender gaps in hours and occupational choice, while the wage gap declines more modestly. These improvements arise because the reform lowers marginal tax rates for secondary earners and raises them for primary earners. By contrast, proportional taxation yields much smaller reductions in gender gaps. In both reforms, the standard labor-supply channel accounts for roughly two-thirds of the overall taxable- income response, while the convex earnings-hours relationship amplifies these effects and explains most of the remainder. Occupational switching contributes little because those who do switch are negatively selected." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Commuting in dual-earner households: international gender differences with time use surveys (2026)
Zitatform
Echeverría, Lucía, J. Ignacio Giménez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina (2026): Commuting in dual-earner households: international gender differences with time use surveys. In: Review of Economics of the Household, Jg. 24, H. 1, S. 303-325. DOI:10.1007/s11150-024-09726-5
Abstract
"Prior studies show men commute longer than women, often due to household responsibilities. However, research on commuting differences within couples is limited. This study examines gender gaps in commuting times and mode choices among dual-earner couples in Spain, Italy, South Korea, and the UK. Using Ordinary Least Squares regressions, we find that the presence of children significantly increases gender gaps in commuting times in Italy and the UK, supporting the household responsibility hypothesis. Conversely, no significant link between children and gender gaps is observed in Spain and Korea. Additionally, children’s presence affects commuting mode choices in Italy across all modes, and in Korea for public transit only, with Italian women showing the most changes in commuting mode when children are present." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((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
Stratification of post-birth labour supply in a high- and low- maternal employment regime (2026)
Zitatform
Filser, Andreas, Pascal Achard, Corinna Frodermann, Dana Müller & Sander Wagner (2026): Stratification of post-birth labour supply in a high- and low- maternal employment regime. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 102, 2026-01-30. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2026.101133
Abstract
"This paper compares the magnitude and stratification of motherhood employment penalties in France and Germany, two countries with contrasting institutional orientations towards maternal employment. While prior research has documented cross-national variation in the size of motherhood penalties, less is known about how macro-level contexts shape their stratification across socioeconomic groups. Using harmonized administrative employment data on 18,948 French and 72,632 German mothers, who were employed prior to first birth between 1997 and 2014, we estimate labour market participation trajectories for five years following childbirth. Across both countries, women with higher pre-birth income, higher education, and employment in higher-wage firms experience substantially smaller reductions in labour supply, with income emerging as the strongest stratifying dimension. Motherhood penalties are markedly smaller in France, amounting to less than one-third of the reduction observed in Germany. Yet penalties in France are more strongly stratified: mothers in the lowest income quintile experience participation losses 3.14 times larger than mothers in the highest quintile, compared to a ratio of 1.17 in Germany. Within Germany, East German mothers face smaller but more stratified penalties than West German mothers. Finally, we test whether the macro-level pattern of larger penalties associated with weaker stratification also generalizes to 65 NUTS-2 regions. We find no systematic association between the size and stratification of motherhood penalties at the regional level. The findings suggest that institutional contexts supporting high maternal employment reduce overall penalties but pose particular challenges for mothers from lower socio-economic backgrounds who reintegrate less rapidly into the labour market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
A Marriage Premium for Whom? Sexual Identity, Relationship Status and Earnings (2026)
Zitatform
Fortes de Lena, Fernanda & Diederik Boertien (2026): A Marriage Premium for Whom? Sexual Identity, Relationship Status and Earnings. In: Journal of Marriage and Family, Jg. 88, H. 1, S. 81-99. DOI:10.1111/jomf.70005
Abstract
"Objective: This article aims to understand how relationship status is associated with earnings among LGB people. Background: Previous research has found that marriage is related to higher earnings for men and lower earnings for women, but has not often considered whether this holds across different sexual identities. Method: We use the longitudinal Understanding Society data from the UK to show how the earnings of LGB individuals are associated with relationship status (single, non-residential partner, residential partner, married). Results: Cohabiting or married men generally earn more compared to single men, regardless of sexual identity. However, gay men's earnings only increase after marrying, whereas heterosexual and bisexual men's earnings increase after entering any co-residential relationship. This suggests that gay men might receive more social support or employer approval after entering a normative relationship form. Heterosexual women start earning less after marriage, whereas the impact of changes in relationship status on earnings is relatively small and non-significant for bisexual and lesbian women. These results are largely explained by paid and unpaid work hours, suggesting that the division of labor within relationships lowers earnings among heterosexual women but not among LGB women. Conclusion: LGB women's earnings depend relatively little on changes in relationship status. At the same time, gay men only receive premiums related to having a partner once they marry." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Arbeits- und Betreuungsarrangements von Familien mit kleinen Kindern: Gesellschaftliche Einstellung zu Erwerbstätigkeit von Müttern und externer Kinderbetreuung (2026)
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)
Weiterführende Informationen
- Durchschnittliches Alter des Kindes, zu dem Frauen und Männer externe Kinderbetreuung und Erwerbstätigkeit der Mütter als angemessen empfinden
- Einstellung der Bevölkerung zur Erwerbstätigkeit von Müttern und zur externen Betreuung von Kindern
- Einflussgrößen der Einstellungen zur ganztägigen Kinderbetreuung und zur Vollzeiterwerbstätigkeit der Mütter
- Durchschnittliches Alter des Kindes, zu dem die Befragten externe Kinderbetreuung und Erwerbstätigkeit der Mütter als angemessen empfinden
- Anteile der Befragten, die eine externe Kinderbetreuung und eine Erwerbstätigkeit der Mütter bei einem bestimmten Alter des Kindes als angemessen empfinden
- Einstellungen von Frauen und Männern zur ganztägigen Kinderbetreuung und Vollzeiterwerbstätigkeit der Mütter - Unterschiede nach eigener Elternschaft
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Literaturhinweis
Der Gender-Pay-Gap wird kleiner – jedoch nicht in allen Regionen (2026)
Zitatform
Fuchs, Michaela, Anja Rossen, Antje Weyh & Gabriele Wydra-Somaggio (2026): Der Gender-Pay-Gap wird kleiner – jedoch nicht in allen Regionen. In: IAB-Forum H. 23.02.2026. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20260223.01
Abstract
"Zwar wird der Gender-Pay-Gap, also die Entgeltlücke zwischen Frauen und Männern, in Deutschland seit einigen Jahren langsam kleiner. Frauen verdienen im Schnitt aber nach wie vor deutlich weniger als Männer. Der Rückgang zeigt sich zudem nicht in allen Regionen Deutschlands: In 15 von 400 Kreisen ist der Gender-Pay-Gap zwischen 2019 und 2024 sogar gestiegen. Diese gegensätzlichen Entwicklungen hängen mit unterschiedlichen Veränderungen in der regionalen Lohn-, Betriebsgrößen- und Berufsstruktur zusammen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Regionale Unterschiede im Gender-Pay-Gap in Deutschland 2024 (2026)
Zitatform
Fuchs, Michaela, Anja Rossen, Antje Weyh & Gabriele Wydra-Somaggio (2026): Regionale Unterschiede im Gender-Pay-Gap in Deutschland 2024. (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung. Aktuelle Daten und Indikatoren), Nürnberg, 16 S.
Abstract
"Die vorliegenden Auswertungen beinhalten Angaben zum Tagesentgelt sozialversicherungspflichtig vollzeitbeschäftigter Frauen und Männer sowie zum unbereinigten und bereinigten Gender-Pay-Gap in den Bundesländern und Kreisen Deutschlands für das Jahr 2024. Nähere Erläuterungen zu den Einflussfaktoren auf die unterschiedlichen regionalen Gender-Pay-Gaps sowie zur zeitlichen Entwicklung finden sich im IAB-Forumsbeitrag von Fuchs, Rossen, Weyh und Wydra-Somaggio (2026)." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
Weiterführende Informationen
Weitere Informationen finden Sie in dem Beitrag im Online Magazin IAB-Forum -
Literaturhinweis
The Effect of Access to Legal Abortion on Fertility, Marriage, and Long-term Outcomes for Women (2026)
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
Temporal Signification of Careers and Organizational Return‐to‐Work Barriers After an Extended Career Break: Insights From Professional Women in the United Kingdom (2026)
Zitatform
Gupta, Renu, Gill Kirton & Suki Sian (2026): Temporal Signification of Careers and Organizational Return‐to‐Work Barriers After an Extended Career Break: Insights From Professional Women in the United Kingdom. In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 33, H. 2, S. 412-428. DOI:10.1111/gwao.70050
Abstract
"In this article, we explore the phenomenon of professional women's childcare-related extended career breaks taken immediately or soon after maternity leave and organizational barriers experienced in their subsequent return to work. Applying a temporal lens to Barley's career model, we analyze how organizational objective clock-time and women's experience of subjective time in relation to extended career breaks mediate their understanding of organizational barriers in returning to work. Demonstrating the interlinkages between structure and agency, we present “continuity” and “presence” as two temporal career scripts that create specific return-to-work barriers for women professionals as they fall out of sync with time during the extended break and face temporal inequities upon return to the workplace. We establish that in the context of women professionals returning from childcare-related extended career breaks, structural elements outweigh individual agency. We conclude this article with a call for organizational support to overcome return barriers arising out of temporal career scripts. We also suggest that future research could usefully explore organizational policies and practices aimed at reintegrating and retaining professional women returning to work from extended childcare-related career breaks." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen ab 45: Empirische Evidenz zum Einfluss finanzieller Anreize (2026)
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)
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
The leave gap: actual versus optimal maternity leave in a sample of US breastfeeding women (2026)
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
A senior doctor like me: Gender match and occupational choice (2026)
Zitatform
Kelly, Elaine & Isabel Stockton (2026): A senior doctor like me: Gender match and occupational choice. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 99. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2026.102863
Abstract
"Men and women consistently sort into different occupations and fields within occupations, contributing to persistent gender inequality in economic outcomes. In this paper, we examine how social factors influence this sorting, specifically the gender composition of supervisors early in one’s career. Our setting is the English National Health Service, where medical specialties vary widely in their gender composition. We exploit features of the doctor training pathway that generate quasi-random variation in junior doctors’ exposure to senior women. We find greater exposure to senior women specialists increases the probability of junior women subsequently training in their specialty, but only in very male-dominated training placements. A junior woman exposed to a 10 percentage point higher share of senior women specialists during a placement is 1.7 percentage points or 24% more likely to pursue training in the placement specialty, if the share of senior women doctors is below one in five. This effect corresponds to two-fifths of the gender gap in training choices, and appears even in specialties that are not particularly male-dominated as a whole. Heterogeneity analyses suggest that access to and relatability of potential role models matter, and that gender match effects interact with preferences for geographic and schedule flexibility." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, ©2026 Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Gaps Under Comparable Tasks: Evidence from Quasi-Random Assignment (2026)
Khaliliaraghi, Negar; Lundborg, Petter; Vikström, Johan;Zitatform
Khaliliaraghi, Negar, Petter Lundborg & Johan Vikström (2026): Gender Gaps Under Comparable Tasks: Evidence from Quasi-Random Assignment. (CESifo working paper 12413), München, 57 S.
Abstract
"Gender gaps in earnings persist even among high-skilled workers, partly because men and women often perform different tasks within and across jobs. We study a rare setting in which high-skilled men and women perform the same tasks under comparable conditions, allowing us to assess gender differences in productivity and pay without confounding from task or client allocation. Using administrative data from the Swedish Public Employment Service between 2003 and 2014, we exploit a rotation scheme that quasi-randomly assigns job seekers to employment caseworkers. This ensures male and female caseworkers are matched with comparable clients. We find productivity differences are small: job seekers assigned to female and male caseworkers exit unemployment at similar rates, with no evidence of job-quality differences. Consistent with this, hourly wages—conditional on productivity—are nearly identical across genders. Despite this, female caseworkers earn about 8 percent less per year, due to differences in contracted and actual hours worked. We also find suggestive evidence that male caseworkers are more likely to be promoted than equally productive female colleagues. Overall, when tasks are standardized and performance is measured objectively, gender differences in productivity and hourly pay are minimal, while gaps in annual earnings and career progression persist." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Household classification, family diversity and poverty risks in Europe: Addressing a North-Western bias (2026)
Zitatform
Lancker, Wim Van, Alzbeta Bartova, Max Thaning & Rense Nieuwenhuis (2026): Household classification, family diversity and poverty risks in Europe: Addressing a North-Western bias. In: Journal of European Social Policy, S. 1-18. DOI:10.1177/09589287261430496
Abstract
"European statistics and policies commonly rely on household typologies that classify households based on the number of adults and children living together. However, these typologies overlook family relationships and classify any non-standard arrangement into a broad residual category of ‘other’. This approach fails to capture increasing family diversity across Europe and introduces a persistent North-Western bias into data and policymaking. As a result, families that do not fit conventional models may be misclassified or entirely overlooked in poverty assessments and policy targeting. This is problematic since family structures vary substantially across European countries and became more diverse over time. This article introduces the Families in Households Typology (FHT), a classification system that uses relationship identifiers in EU-SILC microdata to reconstruct family structures within households. The FHT reduces the share of individuals placed in the residual ‘other’ category from over 20% to around 5%, particularly improving identification in Southern, Central, and Eastern European countries where multigenerational living arrangements are common. The results also show that nearly half of all single parents in Europe live with another adult and are not captured as single parents under conventional typologies. This has important implications for policy design: many single-parent households may be excluded from targeted support due to misclassification. Reclassifying households using the FHT also reshapes our understanding of living standards. The poverty risk of single parents is often overestimated when the Eurostat household typology is adopted. When single parents co-residing with kin or unrelated adults are correctly identified, their average poverty risk tends to be much lower. These findings highlight the importance of moving away from basic household counts towards relational classifications that more accurately reflect the diversity of family life across Europe, rather than using typologies that reflect the dominant family reality in Northern and Western Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Beyond the ‘integration paradox’: educational attainment similarly predicts gender discrimination among women and ethnic discrimination among minorities (2026)
Zitatform
Lavest, Chloé, Lucas G. Drouhot, Meta van der Linden & Frank van Tubergen (2026): Beyond the ‘integration paradox’: educational attainment similarly predicts gender discrimination among women and ethnic discrimination among minorities. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 42, H. 1, S. 103-117. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcaf039
Abstract
"Highly educated individuals of immigrant origins perceive more ethnic discrimination than their less educated counterparts—a now well-established finding referred to as the ‘integration paradox’. In this paper, we study whether this purported paradox captures general educational effects on the lived experiences of historically disadvantaged populations going beyond the scope of integration among immigrants. We compare the educational gradient of perceptions of ethno-racial discrimination among ethnic minorities with the educational gradient of perceptions of gender discrimination among women. We also study intersectional dimensions in the experiences of minority women and those reporting multiple grounds for discrimination. Analyses based on representative data from two cross-sectional surveys in France - Trajectoires et Origines 1 and 2—involving over 35,000 respondents show that highly educated individuals, including both ethnic minorities and women, are more likely to report discrimination. Individuals who report discrimination on one ground are also more likely to report it on another ground. Our results suggest that the so-called integration paradox reflects more general educational effects on subjective experiences of exclusion that are not unique to immigrant-origin populations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender-Specific Application Behaviour, Matching, and the Residual Gender Earnings Gap (2026)
Zitatform
Lochner, Benjamin & Christian Merkl (2026): Gender-Specific Application Behaviour, Matching, and the Residual Gender Earnings Gap. In: The Economic Journal, Jg. 136, H. 673, S. 97-124., 2025-05-08. DOI:10.1093/ej/ueaf037
Abstract
"This paper examines how gender-specific application behavior, firms’ hiring practices, and flexibility demands relate to the gender earnings gap, using linked data from the German Job Vacancy Survey and administrative records. Women are less likely than men to apply to high-wage firms with high flexibility requirements, although their hiring chances are similar when they do. We show that compensating differentials for firms’ flexibility demands help explain the residual gender earnings gap. Among women, mothers experience the largest earnings penalties relative to men in jobs with high flexibility requirements." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Ähnliche Treffer
- frühere (möglicherweise abweichende) Version erschienen u.d.T. "Gender-Specific Application Behavior, Matching, and the Residual Gender Earnings Gap" als: LASER discussion papers, 139
- frühere (möglicherweise abweichende) Version erschienen u.d.T. "Gender-Specific Application Behavior, Matching, and the Residual Gender Earnings Gap" als: IAB-Discussion Paper, 22/2022
- frühere (möglicherweise abweichende) Version erschienen als: CESifo working paper, 11813
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Literaturhinweis
More than just work: The effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit on job quality (2026)
Zitatform
Michelmore, Katherine & Natasha Pilkauskas (2026): More than just work: The effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit on job quality. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 99. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2026.102867
Abstract
"Using a simulated benefits approach and data from the Current Population Survey we examine how expansions to the EITC affected the job quality of unmarried mothers in the U.S. Following expansions to the EITC, we find increases in employment, wages, and fringe benefits such as employer-provided health insurance and retirement plans among unmarried mothers, all indicators of improvements in job quality. On the other hand, we also find evidence that the EITC increases overwork, or working >45 h per week, a negative indicator of job quality. Though mothers are not moved into high-quality professional jobs, they are more likely to work in manual labour and transportation occupations, which are middle-income jobs, and these mothers are also more likely to have a unionized job, which is correlated with other positive job quality measures. Overall, the findings paint a nuanced picture of how the EITC affects job quality among unmarried mothers, with many indicators of improvements in job quality, alongside a few indicators of declines in job quality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((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
Update: Identifying mothers in administrative data (2026)
Zitatform
Müller, Dana, Andreas Filser, Corinna Frodermann & Arnim Seidlitz (2026): Update: Identifying mothers in administrative data. (FDZ-Methodenreport 01/2026 (en)), Nürnberg, 13 S. DOI:10.5164/IAB.FDZM.2601.en.v1
Abstract
"Die administrativen Daten der Bundesagentur für Arbeit bieten eine wichtige Datenbasis für die Arbeitsmarktforschung. Welche Informationen gesammelt werden, ist über die Aufgaben der Bundesagentur für Arbeit definiert. Daher sind nicht alle Informationen in den Daten enthalten, die für verschiedene Forschungsfragen relevant sind. Das betrifft zum Beispiel Informationen zu der Geburt von Kindern, die wichtig für die Analyse der Erwerbsbiografien von Frauen sein können. Nach wie vor unterbrechen insbesondere Mütter ihre Erwerbstätigkeit, um sich der Kinderbetreuung zu widmen. Diese Erwerbsunterbrechungen können unterschiedliche Effekte auf die Erwerbsbiografien von Müttern haben, wie z.B. Lohneinbußen, Karrierenachteile oder vermehrte Teilzeitbeschäftigung. Die FDZ-Methodenreports 13/2017 und 02/2022 (Müller/Strauch 2017; Müller et al. 2022) zeigten eine Möglichkeit, familienbedingte Erwerbsunterbrechungen mit Hilfe indirekter Identifikatoren in den administrativen Daten zu ermitteln. Mit dem vorliegenden FDZ-Methodenreport wurde diese Identifikationsstrategie aktualisiert und an neue Datensatzversionen angepasst. Wir validieren unsere Identifikationsstrategie mit Hilfe offizieller Geburtsstatistiken. Der Programmcode wird als Anhang zur Verfügung gestellt und kann nach Bedarf angepasst werden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
Ähnliche Treffer
ursprüngliche Version -
Literaturhinweis
Wage Premium or Wage Penalty? Gendered Long-term Wage Development of Family Caregivers (2026)
Zitatform
Raiber, Klara, Katja Möhring, Mark Visser & Ellen Verbakel (2026): Wage Premium or Wage Penalty? Gendered Long-term Wage Development of Family Caregivers. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 40, H. 1, S. 3-25. DOI:10.1177/09500170251348856
Abstract
"This study theoretically and empirically assesses the gendered relationship between family caregiving (excluding regular childcare) and wage development in the Netherlands applying conflict theory, which predicts a wage penalty due to difficulties in combining paid work and care, and enrichment theory, which expects a wage premium because of acquired skills and recognition. Growth curve modelling was used to analyse hourly wages from 19 years of register data combined with information on caregiving episodes, retrospectively collected among a Dutch sample (N = 2659 respondents and 324,940 months). Caregiving was distinguished by have-never cared, current caregivers and past caregivers, as well as by duration and intensity. The results showed that men’s wage growth slightly improved after caregiving stopped and when they provided intensive care. Women’s wage development was slightly weaker after caregiving stopped and when they provided intensive care. Thus, only men benefit from caregiving in terms of their wage growth, not women." (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
Being the boss at work and at home – Self-employment and conflicts between partners (2026)
Zitatform
Schneck, Stefan (2026): Being the boss at work and at home – Self-employment and conflicts between partners. In: Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, Jg. 121. DOI:10.1016/j.socec.2025.102506
Abstract
"The self-employed are their own bosses and make independent decisions on how to achieve their goals. We ask if the self-employed not only make professional decisions but also interfere in the private decisions of their partners. Using unique German panel data designed to study intimate relationships, we show a positive relationship between complaints about interference and the self-employment status of partners, which indicates that the self-employed dominate in business and private life. Estimates explaining the frequency of disagreements and quarrels between partners reveal that tensions are more commonly reported by respondents with self-employed partners. Moreover, we show that partners exercising control over their partners are a major source of conflicts at home. In this regard, the significant effect of having a self-employed partner can be attributed to the degree of governance the partner exercises over the respondent’s life. This study is the first to suggest that decision autonomy in the work sphere is associated with dominance in private life, harming relationships." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Author.Published by Elsevier Inc.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Beliefs about the gender pension gap (2026)
Zitatform
Schütz, Jana (2026): Beliefs about the gender pension gap. In: European Economic Review, Jg. 184. DOI:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2025.105244
Abstract
"I conduct an online survey of 3000 respondents in the United States to examine individuals’ beliefs about the gender pension gap. By including an information provision experiment in which treated respondents are informed about the size of the gender pension gap, I examine whether receiving this information causally affects respondents’ perceptions of the fairness and drivers of the gender pension gap and their support for policies aimed at reducing it. I find that most respondents underestimate the gender pension gap and that treated respondents are less likely to perceive the gender pension gap as fair. In addition, treated respondents perceive the unequal distribution of care work and gender differences in wages as more important drivers of the gap, and their demand for remedial policies such as targeted financial education increases significantly. This increase in policy demand is driven by male respondents and Republicans." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Cross-cohort employment differences among U.S. mothers of young children: The role of nonparental childcare (2026)
Shattuck, Rachel M.;Zitatform
Shattuck, Rachel M. (2026): Cross-cohort employment differences among U.S. mothers of young children: The role of nonparental childcare. In: Social science research, Jg. 133. DOI:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103261
Abstract
"Following increased mothers' employment since the later 20th century, the majority of U.S. mothers now experience employment with children under age three. Most use nonparental childcare (NPC) while employed. NPC can include care provided in childcare centers and preschools, as well as by nannies, babysitters and relatives, and in family childcare homes. Changes since the 1980s to care costs and availability, labor market conditions, family structures, and public assistance policies may result in differences in the predictive relationship between NPC use and employment among late-20th vs. early-21st century mothers. I use National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979) (“Baby-Boomers”) and 1997 (“Millennials”) data to compare monthly likelihood of full-time employment, part-time employment, and employment exit—and how NPC use differently affects these—among mothers of children under three. A hybrid model including within-person and between-person components compares women to themselves at different points in time when they are employed either with or without NPC. NPC use increases full-time employment, and employment stability, for mothers in both cohorts. However, Millennials use NPC more than Baby-Boomers. Furthermore, NPC increases the likelihood of maintaining full-time employment, and transitioning from part-time to full-time employment, by larger magnitudes for Millennials than for Baby-Boomers. Supplementary descriptive analyses show changed care types, increased care costs, and increased nonstandard employment, all of which may contribute to this cross-cohort difference. Results demonstrate how NPC plays a key role in supporting employment within individual women's life courses, and how these effects may differ across different social and historical settings." (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
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
Organizational accountability and gender segregation: can bureaucratic reforms drive organizational change? (2026)
Zitatform
Stainback, Kevin (2026): Organizational accountability and gender segregation: can bureaucratic reforms drive organizational change? In: Social forces, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1093/sf/soag003
Abstract
"Gender segregation is a core indicator of organizational inequality with downstream implications for wages, authority, and career mobility. Its causes and consequences have been studied extensively, yet much less is known about the organizational practices that may reduce it. This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of accountability practices on workplace gender integration. Scholars have identified three key aspects of organizational accountability: setting diversity goals, assigning responsibility, and monitoring and reviewing personnel decisions. These practices are widely believed to be effective; however, surprisingly little empirical research has examined which practices work to reduce inequality. Previous studies have primarily focused on assigning responsibility to a staff position or department (e.g., human resource or diversity manager), with few examining diversity goals or monitoring and reviewing practices. Analyzing a nationally representative panel dataset of British workplaces (2004–2011), this study finds that implementing diversity goals,assigning oversight to a human resource professional, and monitoring and reviewing personnel decisions significantly reduce gender segregation. These effects remain robust across models controlling for other practices theorized to reduce gender segregation, women’s managerial representation, and changes in employment during the Great Recession. These findings underscore how accountability-based bureaucratic reforms can advance workplace integration." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Take it or leave it: how maternal leave duration affects societal perceptions of women in Germany and Israel (2026)
Zitatform
Stertz, Anna M. & Ronit Waismel-Manor (2026): Take it or leave it: how maternal leave duration affects societal perceptions of women in Germany and Israel. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-9. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2026.2621075
Abstract
"This research investigates how the duration of parental leave taken by working mothers influences ‘ideal worker’ and ‘good mother’ norms perceptions in two distinct cultural and policy contexts: Germany (N\u2009=\u2009262; main activity: 65.9% university students, 26.7% paid work) and Israel (N\u2009=\u2009504; main activity: 100% university students, of whom 79.0% also engaged in paid work). In experimental online studies, participants evaluated a fictitious mother based on a vignette. Leave length was experimentally manipulated across four conditions: 4, 6, 12, and 36 months (the latter only in Germany). The results yielded similar trends in both countries. Mothers are more likely to be viewed as better parents if they take the longest leave offered, and as better workers if they take short periods of leave. Nevertheless, our results show that in both countries, the decision to take parental leave of any given length does not substantially harm evaluations toward working mothers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Job Tasks, Task-Specific Work Experience, and the Gender Wage Gap (2026)
Zitatform
Stinebrickner, Todd, Ralph Stinebrickner & Paul Sullivan (2026): Job Tasks, Task-Specific Work Experience, and the Gender Wage Gap. In: Journal of Human Capital, Jg. 20, H. 1, S. 1-34. DOI:10.1086/738042
Abstract
"Taking advantage of unique longitudinal task data from the Berea Panel Study, we provide a new ex-amination of the gender wage gap, paying particular attention to gender differences in types of work experience. Access to longitudinal individual-level job task information, along with unique time allo-cation information, allows us to produce quantitative measures of current and past tasks. We provide the first empirical evidence on gender differences in time spent on tasks, and show that gender differ-ences in task-specific experience, in particular high-skilled information experience, are important for predicting the widening of the gender wage gap over the career." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Ceilings: Gender Inequality in Hours, Earnings and Health (2026)
Strazdins, Lyndall ; Doan, Tinh ; Leach, Liana ; Pollmann-Schult, Matthias ; Kaiser, Till ; Li, Jianghong ;Zitatform
Strazdins, Lyndall, Tinh Doan, Liana Leach, Jianghong Li, Matthias Pollmann-Schult & Till Kaiser (2026): Ceilings: Gender Inequality in Hours, Earnings and Health. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 182. DOI:10.1007/s11205-026-03820-0
Abstract
"One reason gender earning gaps persist is that well-paid jobs presume long work hours, and these are incompatible with family care. Long hours also harm health, and the risks may increase for workers with care and domestic workloads, adding a gendered health penalty. Using representative, longitudinal data from Australia and Germany (144,430–153,659 observations for HILDA and SOEP surveys, respectively, 2002–2022), we model the interconnections between hours and health among men and women aged 25–64 years. Our models include hours spent on care and domestic work, to estimate the points at which working more gains earnings but incurs risks for health and how this may differ by gender. The results show that average health ceilings mirror standard work hours (38 to 43 h per week) in both countries, but this masks wide gender differences. Gender stratified models reveal that long work hours are relatively less harmful for men compared to women, and as work hours lengthen, the penalty to women’s physical and mental health increases. We further show how these differential health harms are linked to extra time spent on family care and domestic work. Our study extends theory on how gender inequality is maintained in organisations and in the labour market, and the need for policy action to limit long work hours." (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
Attitudes Towards Work: The Care Arrangements of Couples With Preschool‐Aged Children—A European Comparison (2026)
Třísková, Hana; Szalma, Ivett;Zitatform
Třísková, Hana & Ivett Szalma (2026): Attitudes Towards Work: The Care Arrangements of Couples With Preschool‐Aged Children—A European Comparison. In: Social Inclusion, Jg. 14. DOI:10.17645/si.11016
Abstract
"Societal expectations in Europe regarding the roles of mothers and fathers in the work and caregiving spheres continue to evolve unevenly. While the labour market participation of women has become widespread, shifts in terms of normative support for paternal caregiving have progressed more slowly, which reflects a persistent cultural lag in the gender revolution process. This study examines public attitudes towards work–care arrangements and preferences for organising work and childcare for preschool-aged children employing data from the 2022 International Social Survey Programme conducted across 16 European countries. Applying multinomial logistic regression models, the analysis compares support for three ideal-typical arrangements—traditional, semi-traditional, and egalitarian—across a range of sociodemographic, attitudinal, and contextual dimensions. The findings reveal pronounced regional patterns: Egalitarian preferences dominate in Nordic countries, semi-traditional models are more prevalent in parts of Central and Southern Europe, and traditional orientations remain dominant in post-socialist contexts. Gender ideology, religiosity, and education comprise the central predictors of support for egalitarian arrangements, while attitudes towards the distribution of paid parental leave further differentiate national profiles. Overall, the results demonstrate that public preferences are shaped by the interplay of cultural norms and institutional conditions, which underscores the tension between advancing structural change and enduring normative expectations that surround parental roles in Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Aspekt auswählen:
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