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
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
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
How Public Investments in Childcare Mitigate Childbirth Effects on Employment Transitions by Skill Level in Europe: Special Issue: Bringing the Ecological and the Social Together in the Green Transition: A Multilevel Analysis (2026)
Zitatform
Plavgo, Ilze (2026): How Public Investments in Childcare Mitigate Childbirth Effects on Employment Transitions by Skill Level in Europe. Special Issue: Bringing the Ecological and the Social Together in the Green Transition: A Multilevel Analysis. In: Regulation and governance, Jg. 20, H. 2, S. 635-651. DOI:10.1111/rego.70116
Abstract
"Public investments in childcare generally improve parents' employment chances, yet evidence on their magnitude, cross-national variation, and social distribution remains mixed. This study examines how public spending on early childhood education and care (ECEC) moderates post-childbirth employment attachment across Europe. Using longitudinal EU-SILC microdata for 26 countries (2003–2020) combined with social policy indicators, multilevel mixed-effects models trace within-person employment changes before and 2 years after childbirth by gender, skill level, and country context. Results show that childbirth substantially reduces women's employment probabilities, but higher public ECEC investment mitigates this decline by supporting re-entry into employment. At above-average spending levels, employment returns to pre-childbirth levels within 2 years, whereas recovery remains limited where ECEC investments are lower. The pattern holds across skill groups and welfare regimes, except in the Nordic countries, where low-skilled mothers benefit more. Findings underscore the role of ECEC investment in sustaining labor force participation in Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
“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
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))
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Literaturhinweis
Motherhood and Systemic Gender Pay Gap Faced by Women in European Union Countries (2026)
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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Literaturhinweis
The persistence of gender pay and employment gaps in European countries (2025)
Zitatform
Afonso, António & M. Carmen Blanco-Arana (2025): The persistence of gender pay and employment gaps in European countries. In: Comparative Economic Studies, Jg. 67, H. 2, S. 326-354. DOI:10.1057/s41294-025-00252-6
Abstract
"We assess the factors that influence the gender pay gap and gender employment gap across an unbalanced panel of 31 European countries over the period 2000–2022, and estimate a system generalized method of moment model (GMM). We find that tertiary education reduces gender pay gap, and part-time and temporary contracts significantly increase this gap. Moreover, part-time reduces significantly gender employment gap, and both secondary and tertiary education as well. Additionally, for countries with GDP per capita below the sample mean, temporary work and part-time work significantly increases the gender pay gap. Nevertheless, for both group of countries (below and above GDP per capita sample mean), temporary work increases, whereas part-time work decreases the gender employment gap, highlighting the importance of being working or not. Finally, in higher income countries, education is the crucial determinant in reducing these gaps. Results are robust with fixed effects models." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Equal value, equal pay: Concepts, mechanisms and implementation towards gender pay equity (2025)
Zitatform
Baggio, Marianna & Christine Aumayr-Pintar (2025): Equal value, equal pay: Concepts, mechanisms and implementation towards gender pay equity. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Luxembourg, 71 S. DOI:10.2806/0066968
Abstract
"This report presents an in-depth compilation of evidence and analysis on how the EU’s principle of equal pay for the same work and work of equal value can be implemented in practice, with a particular focus on work of equal value – thus, pay equity. According to this principle, when two jobs can be regarded as equivalent in terms of skills, effort, responsibilities and working conditions, they should be remunerated equally. But how can such equivalence be established? Beyond general guidance provided by national legislation and court interpretations, the EU Pay Transparency Directive, to be incorporated into national law by June 2026, requires companies to ensure that, among other key obligations, their pay structures are based on objective, gender-neutral and bias-free job evaluation methods. This report moves from principle to practice by bridging legal requirements, best practices and workplace realities, drawing on 16 case studies that examine the practical application of tools and methods, company-level initiatives and the role of social partners in implementing job classification reviews within sectoral collective agreements. Although the report highlights success stories, significant challenges persist. The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) is a tripartite European Union Agency established in 1975. Its role is to provide knowledge in the area of social, employment and work-related policies according to Regulation (EU) 2019/127." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Unpacking the Link between Service Sector and Female Employment: Cross-Country Evidence (2025)
Coskun Dalgic, Sena; Sengul, Gonul;Zitatform
Coskun Dalgic, Sena & Gonul Sengul (2025): Unpacking the Link between Service Sector and Female Employment: Cross-Country Evidence. (IAB-Discussion Paper 08/2025), Nürnberg, 25 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.DP.2508
Abstract
"Der starke Anstieg der Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen war in den letzten Jahrzehnten ein bestimmendes Merkmal der hochentwickelten Volkswirtschaften. Dieses Papier untersucht die länderübergreifenden Unterschiede im Zusammenhang zwischen der Expansion des Dienstleistungssektors und der Beschäftigung von Frauen in Europa und den USA. Wir schätzen die Elastizität der Frauenbeschäftigung im Verhältnis zur Beschäftigung im Dienstleistungssektor und decken erhebliche Unterschiede zwischen den Ländern hinsichtlich der Stärke auf, mit der der weibliche Anteil an den Arbeitsstunden auf die Expansion des Dienstleistungssektors reagiert. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass diese Elastizität in Ländern mit einem stärkeren Strukturwandel und einer höheren weiblichen Beschäftigungsintensität im Unternehmensdienstleistungssektor höher ist. Darüber hinaus ist eine höhere weibliche Beschäftigungsintensität im Unternehmensdienstleistungssektor mit einem größeren Lebensmittel- und Beherbergungssektor verbunden. Diese Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass Länder mit einer stärkeren Umverteilung von der Industrie zum Dienstleistungssektor einen stärkeren Anstieg der weiblichen Beschäftigung erlebten, da ihr expandierender Unternehmensdienstleistungssektor zusätzliches Wachstum im Lebensmittel- und Beherbergungssektor erzeugte und Frauen dadurch stärker in die Erwerbsarbeit zog." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
Beteiligte aus dem IAB
Coskun Dalgic, Sena; -
Literaturhinweis
Gender wealth inequality in the European Union: a distributional perspective (2025)
Zitatform
Darvas, Zsolt & Nina Ruer (2025): Gender wealth inequality in the European Union: a distributional perspective. (Working paper / Bruegel 2025,26), Brüssel, 47 S. DOI:10.64153/kgcu4277
Abstract
"This paper investigates gender-related disparities in wealth in European Union countries using the 2010-2021 waves of the European Central Bank’s Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS). To address the difficulty of within-household wealth allocation and provide a cleaner comparison of men and women’s wealth positions, we focus on single, never-married individuals aged 25-65, without dependants. A full-sample regression controlling for demographic, labour market and socioeconomic characteristics does not reveal a statistically significant gender wealth gap in the EU overall, or in most EU countries. When examining the wealth gap against wealth distribution, we find negligible gaps among the less wealthy. However, we find significant gaps among the middle class and the wealthiest individuals. This distributional disparity was barely visible in 2010 but had become pronounced by 2021, suggesting that gender-based wealth disparities have widened over time. Men are more likely to own property, operate businesses and invest in risky financial assets, which are all major drivers of wealth. By contrast, women hold more bank deposits and low-risk assets. Although women have higher educational attainment, which is typically associated with greater wealth, this advantage does not fully translate into financial outcomes. Finally, we document substantial cross-country differences, possibly shaped by cultural norms, institutional settings, labour market histories and inheritance regimes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Couples' division of paid work and rising income inequality: A study of 21 OECD countries (2025)
Zitatform
Herzberg-Druker, Efrat (2025): Couples' division of paid work and rising income inequality: A study of 21 OECD countries. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 99. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101084
Abstract
"Numerous scholars have explored the association between women's changing employment patterns and the changing income inequality in recent decades. While most studies indicate that increased women's employment reduces household inequality, a few suggest the opposite effect. This research investigated whether shifts in the division of paid work (i.e., changes in the working hours) among heterosexual couples, as compared to changes in women's work alone, contribute to changes in income inequality. It also examined whether the selection of couples into the different types of division of paid work based on their level of education is a mechanism underlying the growing inequality. Based on counterfactual analyses of data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), encompassing 21 OECD countries, the findings demonstrate shifts in couples' division of paid work, particularly the increase in fulltime dual-earner households, are associated with rising income inequality in most countries studied. However, changes in educational attainment were not found to be the mechanism underlying the association between changes in couples' division of paid work and changes in income inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Status Seeking and Work-Family Conflicts: How the Pursuit of Wealth and Success Threatens Family Peace in 26 Countries (2025)
Zitatform
Hess, Stephanie & Christian Schneickert (2025): Status Seeking and Work-Family Conflicts: How the Pursuit of Wealth and Success Threatens Family Peace in 26 Countries. In: Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Jg. 46, H. 1, S. 146-166. DOI:10.1007/s10834-024-09982-8
Abstract
"This paper takes a cross-national perspective and examines the association between the individual disposition to pursue wealth and success (status seeking) and work–family conflicts. We use data from the 2010 European Social Survey on more than 15,000 individuals from 26 countries who were of working age and living in families with children. The sample selection followed a stratified random sampling strategy and data were collected via computer-assisted personal interviews and pen and pencil interviews administered by trained interview personnel. Employing pooled and comparative single-country regression analyses as well as correlational analyses at the macro-level of countries, our results show that status seeking is related to higher levels of work–family conflict but that the strength of association is vastly different across countries. This individual-level effect is mainly driven by job characteristics and less so by socio-demographics in most of the countries studied. At the country level, better conditions for work and family reconciliation provided by welfare states dampen the effect of ambitiousness on work–family conflict, but only marginally. Interestingly, national wealth (GDP) strengthens the association, while differences in income inequality (Gini coefficient) among countries are not relevant in this regard. Our results highlight the need for a cross-national perspective when determining the antecedents of work–family conflicts." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender differences in paid work over time: Developments and challenges in comparative research (2025)
Zitatform
Hipp, Lena & Kristin Kelley (2025): Gender differences in paid work over time: Developments and challenges in comparative research. In: PLoS ONE, Jg. 20. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0322871
Abstract
"This paper examines gender differences in paid work over time and illustrates the pitfalls encountered by any comparative research that only considers either labor force participation rates or average working hours. To do so, we analyze harmonized survey data from Europe and the United States from 1992 to 2022 (N = 43,283,172) and show that more progress was made in closing gender gaps in labor force participation rates than in working hours. In most countries, women’s labor force participation rates increased considerably, but their average working hours decreased, whereas both men’s labor force participation rates and average working hours decreased or stagnated (but nonetheless still remained much higher than women’s). We show and argue that these countervailing trends in working hours and labor force participation rates make it difficult to paint a coherent picture of cross-national differences in women ’s and men’s paid work and of changes over time. In response, we propose “work volume” as a supplementary or alternative measure for any type of comparative research. Work volume records zero working hours for nonemployed individuals and thus allows straightforward comparisons between women’s and men’s (or any other groups’) involvement in paid work. Using the proposed work volume measure, we show that gender gaps in paid work decreased over time, but that even in 2022, men’s involvement in paid work remained considerably higher than women’s—with gender gaps being lowest in the Scandinavian and the former Communist countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
National Work-Family Policies and Gender Earnings Inequality in 26 OECD Countries, 1999 to 2019 (2025)
Zitatform
Hook, Jennifer L. & Meiying Li (2025): National Work-Family Policies and Gender Earnings Inequality in 26 OECD Countries, 1999 to 2019. In: Socius, Jg. 11, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1177/23780231251360042
Abstract
"The authors investigate whether work-family policies help incorporate women into the labor market, but exacerbate the gender earnings gap and motherhood penalty, especially for mothers and/or tertiary-educated women. The authors use repeated cross-sectional income data from the Luxembourg Income Study database (1999–2019) (n = 26 countries, 280 country-years, 2.9 million employees) combined with an original collection of indicators on work-family policies, labor market conditions, and gender norms. The authors find that only one work-family policy, long paid parental leave (longer than six months), is associated with a larger gender earnings gap for mothers and tertiary-educated women. The negative relationship between long paid leave and women’s earning percentile is not well explained by selection, full-time status, work hours, experience, occupation, or sector, suggesting discrimination mechanisms. These findings add to the growing evidence that long paid leave specifically, as opposed to work-family policies more generally, cleaves the labor market outcomes of women from men." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Role Attitudes and the Reproduction of Occupational Sex Segregation: An Analysis of Attitudes towards Women’s Voluntary Childlessness in Europe (2025)
Zitatform
Insarauto, Valeria & Danilo Bolano (2025): Gender Role Attitudes and the Reproduction of Occupational Sex Segregation: An Analysis of Attitudes towards Women’s Voluntary Childlessness in Europe. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 39, H. 6, S. 1415-1439. DOI:10.1177/09500170251348821
Abstract
"This article contributes to the literature on gender role attitudes and the reproduction of occupational sex segregation by investigating how attitudes towards women’s voluntary childlessness relate to the embeddedness of individuals in sex-typed occupations. While previous studies have found that more favorable attitudes are more common among women than men, they have not established why this is so. We argue that the differing allocation of men and women to sex-typed occupations carries gender-specific pressures towards gender-role congruence, which are likely to shape the perceived costs of motherhood and, hence, attitudes towards female childlessness differently. We test this argument by drawing on European Social Survey data. Findings show that women with more favourable attitudes are most likely to work in male-dominated occupations and hold high-status positions, highlighting the enduring force and differentiated saliency of gender beliefs across sex-segregated occupations. We discuss the implications for the reproduction of occupational sex segregation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
European childcare regimes beyond the ‘average family’ model: A fuzzy clustering analysis (2025)
Zitatform
Ivanova, Dimitrina & Anna Kurowska (2025): European childcare regimes beyond the ‘average family’ model: A fuzzy clustering analysis. In: Journal of European Social Policy, S. 1-22. DOI:10.1177/09589287251386678
Abstract
"The sustained expansion of early childhood care policies across Europe has altered the landscape of work-family reconciliation, yet this transformation remains unevenly distributed across social groups. This study utilises an intersectional (de)familialisation framework that attends to inequalities of access to parental leave and childcare provision. Drawing on comprehensive policy data across European countries, we expand the care regime typology beyond the average workers’ perspective to offer insight intocare regimes from the perspective of the unemployed. By analysing three separate periods of a child’s life until school age, we trace the shifting policy driven incentives for care as the child grows. Our sample also begins to close the gap in knowledge about family policy in Southeastern Europe. Finally, we present and utilise fuzzy clustering, a method that combines the strengths of traditional clustering and fuzzy set ideal type analysis, while addressing their limitations. Combining eligibility considerations alongside the established dimensions of leave generosity, childcare availability, and gender concentration of rights, we aim to contribute to a growing intersectionality-led policy scholarship that puts the question of who is excluded from policy goals at the heart of the analysis. Our findings examine the class asymmetries in access to leave rights, while also offering a perspective in which class and gender inequalities are not separate axes of (dis)advantage." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Working-time flexibility among European couples (2025)
Zitatform
Kałamucka, Agata, Anna Matysiak & Beata Osiewalska (2025): Working-time flexibility among European couples. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2535735
Abstract
"This study examines patterns of working-time flexibility among European heterosexual couples, focusing on both employee – and employer-oriented flexibilities. Using 2019 EU LFS and multinomial logit models, we analyse how these flexibilities are distributed between partners, considering education and parenthood status. The findings highlight the critical role of working-time flexibility in shaping labor force participation and reveal stark differences across socioeconomic and family contexts. Among the tertiary-educated strata, there is a high prevalence of dual-earner couples in which both partners work with employee-oriented flexibility, which remains consistently high even when there are children at home. This pattern is, however, much more common in Western Europe than in Southern and Central Eastern Europe. In contrast, below tertiary-educated couples are less likely to have employee-oriented flexibility and more often form male breadwinner families, particularly as family size increases. Additionally, we demonstrate that below tertiary-educated fathers often have to rely on employer-oriented schedules, which highlight the challenges they may face in balancing work and family responsibilities due to unpredictable work hours. We found this pattern most common in Southern Europe. This study underscores the critical intersection of education, working-time flexibility, and parenthood in shaping labour force participation and perpetuating gender inequalities across socioeconomic strata." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Why Life Gets Better after Age 50, for Some: Mental Well-Being and the Social Norm of Work (2025)
Zitatform
Kraats, Coen van de, Titus Galama, Maarten Lindeboom & Zichen Deng (2025): Why Life Gets Better after Age 50, for Some: Mental Well-Being and the Social Norm of Work. In: Journal of labor economics, S. 1-24. DOI:10.1086/737772
Abstract
"We provide evidence that the social norm (expectation) that adults work has a substantial detrimental causal effect on the mental well-being of unemployed men in mid-life, as substantial as, e.g., the detriment of being widowed. As their peers in age retire and the social norm weakens, the mental well-being of the unemployed improves.Using data on individuals aged 50+ from 10 European countries, we identify the social norm of work effect using exogenous variation in the earliest eligibility age for old-age public pensions across countries and birth cohorts." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Unpaid Care for Elderly Parents and Labor Supply Among Older Working-Age Men and Women Across Europe (2025)
Zitatform
Labbas, Elisa & Maria Stanfors (2025): Unpaid Care for Elderly Parents and Labor Supply Among Older Working-Age Men and Women Across Europe. In: Feminist economics, Jg. 31, H. 3, S. 72-98. DOI:10.1080/13545701.2025.2530081
Abstract
"With population aging, more adults across Europe face competing demands of working for pay and caring for elderly family members. Associated tradeoffs are expected to be negative, gendered, and vary across contexts with different levels of gender equality, public support for eldercare, and work-family balance. Using SHARE data from 2004–20, thisstudy investigates how unpaid caregiving to independently living parents relates to labor supply among mature working-age (50–64) men and women across Europe. Results find limited tradeoffs between unpaid caregiving and labor supply, even where public support for eldercare is low. Caregiving associates with men’s and women’s employment and full-time work in similar ways. Gender differences nevertheless exist in both paid work and caregiving across Europe, especially in Continental and Southern Europe. These differences are established before midlife and build up across the life course and should be addressed when designing policies for longer working lives in Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Structural Labour Market Change and Gender Inequality in Earnings (2025)
Zitatform
Matysiak, Anna, Wojciech Hardy & Lucas van der Velde (2025): Structural Labour Market Change and Gender Inequality in Earnings. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 39, H. 2, S. 426-448. DOI:10.1177/09500170241258953
Abstract
"Research from the US argues that women will benefit from a structural labor market change as the importance of social tasks increases and that of manual tasks declines. This article contributes to this discussion in three ways: (a) by extending the standard framework of task content of occupations in order to account for the gender perspective; (b) by developing measures of occupational task content tailored to the European context; and (c) by testing this argument in 13 European countries. Data are analyzed from the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations database and the European Structure of Earnings Survey. The analysis demonstrates that relative to men the structural labor market change improves the earnings potential of women working in low- and middle-skilled occupations but not those in high-skilled occupations. Women are overrepresented in low-paid social tasks (e.g. care) and are paid less for analytical tasks than men." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
“Be Mothers as if we Were not Workers, Be Workers as if we Were not Mothers”: A Qualitative Study on Parenthood’s Impact on Careers and Well-Being (2025)
Monteiro Maia, Ana Sofia ; Costa Leão, Teresa Isabel; Costeira e Pereira, Margarida Miguel; Mamelund, Svenn-Erik; Silva Fraga, Sílvia Jesus da; Correia Amaro, Joana Maria;Zitatform
Monteiro Maia, Ana Sofia, Margarida Miguel Costeira e Pereira, Svenn-Erik Mamelund, Joana Maria Correia Amaro, Sílvia Jesus da Silva Fraga & Teresa Isabel Costa Leão (2025): “Be Mothers as if we Were not Workers, Be Workers as if we Were not Mothers”: A Qualitative Study on Parenthood’s Impact on Careers and Well-Being. In: Journal of Family Issues, S. 1-33. DOI:10.1177/0192513x251400278
Abstract
"Parenthood challenges work–life balance, particularly where traditional gender norms persist. Despite policy advancements, disparities in income and career progression remain, with mothers disproportionately assuming childcare and household responsibilities. This study explored the impact of parenthood on professional and personal life through thirty semi-structured interviews with Portuguese mothers and fathers living in Portugal and seven other European countries. Thematic content analysis revealed a dual narrative shaped by gender norms and country contexts. Women perceived motherhood as a career barrier, with some reducing work hours or leaving the workforce to become primary caregivers. In contrast, men assumed the breadwinner role by increasing workloads. Parenthood also had gendered health implications: women, particularly in Portugal, experienced anxiety and guilt, whereas men described physical health effects. The findings underscore how parenthood perpetuates gender disparities, highlighting the need for equitable parental leave policies and workplace reforms that support caregiving responsibilities for both mothers and fathers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Unpaid care in the EU (2025)
Zitatform
Nivakoski, Sanna & Marianna Baggio (2025): Unpaid care in the EU. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Dublin, 80 S. DOI:10.2806/5774709
Abstract
"As countries face increasing pressure when it comes to providing care services, unpaid caregivers make an invaluable contribution. Care is needed at all ages of life, particularly when individuals face health issues or disabilities. The majority of care is provided within families, without financial compensation. This report investigates the situation of unpaid carers, focusing on their characteristics and the type of care and support they provide. It also looks at their time-use patterns, their well-being and the challenges they encounter. The report analyses how unpaid caregivers are defined across the EU and examines national-level policies aimed at supporting them. While the analysis covers all unpaid carers, including those providing childcare and long-term care, a specific focus is placed on two groups: young caregivers and those providing multiple types of unpaid care." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Elephant in the Family Policy Room: How Care Culture Influences the Effects of Public Childcare on Women’s Labor Market Participation in Europe (2025)
Zitatform
Pavolini, Emmanuele, Elisa Brini & Stefani Scherer (2025): The Elephant in the Family Policy Room: How Care Culture Influences the Effects of Public Childcare on Women’s Labor Market Participation in Europe. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 180, H. 3, S. 1619-1637. DOI:10.1007/s11205-025-03719-2
Abstract
"This paper examines how cultural contexts influence the extent to which policies aimed at supporting women’s employment and gender equality achieve their objectives. More specifically, it addresses how the availability of formal public childcare services for children under the age of three and their expansion support women’s labour market participation in different cultural contexts. Few studies have examined cultural and structural factors together. The study integrates individual-level data from the European Social Survey on women’s employment and their attitudes with time-varying regional-level information from statistical offices on public early childhood education and care (ECEC) provision and information on gender care culture obtained from different waves of the European Values Study. We find that increasing the availability of ECEC is particularly effective in promoting women’s full-time employment and women’s labour market participation in contexts where traditional cultural values regarding gendered care prevail. The results appear to be independent of individual attitudes. The paper highlights the interaction between structural and cultural factors in shaping employment behaviour and suggests that the outcomes of social policy interventions, such as the expansion of ECEC, are strongly influenced by cultural contexts, although not necessarily in the expected direction." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Valuing Care, Closing the Gap: The European Union’s New Approach to the Principle of Equal Pay (2025)
Vandenberg, Zoé;Zitatform
Vandenberg, Zoé (2025): Valuing Care, Closing the Gap. The European Union’s New Approach to the Principle of Equal Pay. In: Femina Politica, Jg. 34, H. 2-2025, S. 32-44. DOI:10.3224/feminapolitica.v34i2.04
Abstract
"The assignment of women to care traverses both reproductive and productive labour and is reported by numerous scientific studies as a determining factor of gender economic inequalities. Even though the principle of pay equity has been enshrined in the treaty since the beginning of European integration, the gender pay gap remains high within the EU. This contribution argues that the persistence of the gender pay gap is due to the principle's limited capacity to adapt to the realities of women's work and ensure the economic recognition of care work. However, this contribution contends that the implementation of the Work-Life Balance Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/1158), scheduled for 2022, and of the Pay Transparency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/970), planned for 2026, could represent a pivotal moment in redefining the principle of equal pay. These directives provide concrete tools to address the root causes of structural economic inequalities, leveraging social and procedural rights to reinforce the principle of equal pay and strengthen protections for carers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Equality in a Changing World: Taking Stock and Moving Forward (2025)
Zitatform
(2025): Gender Equality in a Changing World. Taking Stock and Moving Forward. (Gender Equality at Work), Paris: OECD Publishing, 311 S. DOI:10.1787/e808086f-en
Abstract
"Despite significant progress over the last century, women still fare worse than men in most economic, social and political outcomes in EU and OECD countries. Drawing on novel data and using a lifecycle approach, this report presents a comprehensive stocktaking of how women, men, girls and boys are faring across seven key policy areas – education and skills, paid and unpaid work, leadership and representation, health, gender-based violence, the green transition and the digital transitions. The challenges are significant. Recognising that closing gender gaps requires serious and co-ordinated policy commitments and actions, this report presents countries’ good practices in gender mainstreaming, encourages breaking down silos, and identifies useful policy combinations to advance gender equality. A conceptual framework is included for governments seeking to assess their own legal, policy and budgetary measures, to help countries transform gender equality commitments into action." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Equality Index 2024: Sustaining momentum on a fragile path (2025)
Zitatform
(2025): Gender Equality Index 2024: Sustaining momentum on a fragile path. (Gender equality index ...), Vilnius, 118 S. DOI:10.2839/9523460
Abstract
"Since 2010, the Gender Equality Index has set a benchmark for equality between women and men to guide decision-makers on policies and goals for a more balanced and inclusive society across the EU by highlighting what is working and where, and what is not working. Chapter 1 presents the results of the Gender Equality Index 2024, along with key trends since the 2023 edition and between 2010 and 2022. A convergence analysis reveals diverse progress patterns at the national level while providing a broader context for Index findings. Chapters 2–8 summarise the policy context, the EU and country scores in key Index domains and how these scores link to violence against women. An intersectional approach exposes different layers of inequality across domains." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender and Education Gaps in Employment: New Evidence for the EU (2024)
Arsenev, Aleksandr; Schütz, Bernhard ; Gökten, Meryem ; Lichtenberger, Andreas ; Heimberger, Philipp ;Zitatform
Arsenev, Aleksandr, Meryem Gökten, Philipp Heimberger, Andreas Lichtenberger & Bernhard Schütz (2024): Gender and Education Gaps in Employment: New Evidence for the EU. (WIIW working paper 251), Wien, 45 S.
Abstract
"This paper analyses (age-adjusted) employment rates by gender and education. We find that male female gender gaps and high-low education gaps in employment vary markedly across European Union (EU) countries and regions, with larger gaps existing in Eastern and Southern Europe than in Nordic and Continental EU countries. We estimate that closing existing education gaps in employment between high and lower education levels would raise the employment rate in the EU for the year 2022 by 10.6 percentage points, whereas closing the gender gaps between men and women would lead to an increase of 2.5 percentage points. At the same time, closing both the gender and education gaps would raise the EU employment rate from 76% to 89% of the population. Furthermore, we provide new evidence on the cyclical behaviour of employment gaps, finding that gender gaps are procyclical. While female employment rates tend to be more resilient than male employment rates during economic downturns, male employment rates tend to grow at a faster pace than female employment rates during upswings. In contrast, education gaps are more countercyclical, as employment risks are more strongly concentrated where education is low." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Equality Hurdle: Resolving the Welfare State Paradox (2024)
Zitatform
Barth, Erling, Liza Reisel & Kjersti Misje Østbakken (2024): The Equality Hurdle: Resolving the Welfare State Paradox. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 38, H. 3, S. 766-786. DOI:10.1177/09500170231155293
Abstract
"This article revisits a central tenet of the welfare state paradox, also known as the inclusion-equality trade-off. Using large-scale survey data for 31 European countries and the United States, collected over a recent 15-year period, the article re-investigates the relationship between female labour force participation and gender segregation. Emphasising the transitional role played by the monetisation of domestic tasks, the study identifies a ‘gender equality hurdle’ that countries with the highest levels of female labour force participation have already passed. The results show that occupational gender segregation is currently lower in countries with high female labour force participation, regardless of public sector size. However, the findings also indicate that high relative levels of public spending on health, education and care are particularly conducive to desegregation. Hence, rather than being paradoxical, more equality in participation begets more equality in the labour market, as well as in gendered tasks in society overall." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The positive relationship between female employment and fertility rates: The role of family benefits expenditure and gender-role ideologies (2024)
Zitatform
Dinale, Daniel (2024): The positive relationship between female employment and fertility rates: The role of family benefits expenditure and gender-role ideologies. In: Journal of European Social Policy, Jg. 34, H. 4, S. 404-418. DOI:10.1177/09589287241252008
Abstract
"This article interrogates the impacts of different types of family benefits expenditures on the positive relationship between female employment and fertility rates in developed welfare states. It does this by theorizing how these family benefits align with welfare state regimes’ preferences for different normative gender-role ideologies. Rather than treating family benefits as a monolith, this article investigates the impact of disaggregated expenditures in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) family policy database (1. services and in-kind benefits, 2. child-related cash benefits and 3. tax-based financial support for children) on both female employment and fertility rates. This is done using pooled time-series analysis covering the period 2000–9. The analysis yields evidence that expenditure most reflecting a ‘full egalitarian’ gender ideology including service and in-kind benefit provision has the most positive association with female employment and fertility due to an emphasis on defamiliarization. The picture for child-related cash benefits is mixed due to the presence of cash transfer provisions not employment-contingent captured in the indicator. In contrast, tax-based financial support for children harms female employment, reflecting a maternalistic ‘traditional’ ideological orientation, but is positive for fertility rates indicating a moderate pro-natal effect of tax-based financial support for children." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender equality and economic growth: Past progress and future potential (2024)
Zitatform
Fluchtmann, Jonas, Mark Keese & Willem Adema (2024): Gender equality and economic growth. Past progress and future potential. (OECD social, employment and migration working papers 304), Paris, 45 S. DOI:10.1787/fb0a0a93-en
Abstract
"Despite women’s increased participation in the labor market significantly contributing to past economic growth, persistent gender gaps across OECD labour markets hinder full realization of the potential gains of women’s economic participation. This paper analyses the economic implications of these gaps and evaluates the potential for future growth through greater gender equality in labor market outcomes. Utilising two methodological frameworks, the paper first employs growth accounting to measure the contribution of women's employment to past economic growth. The paper then uses a simplified version of the OECD Long-Term Model in conjunction with projections on future labor force dynamics to estimate the impact of greater gender equality on the labor market. These analyses provide insight into the potentially significant economic benefits of closing persistent gender gaps across OECD countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender gaps in perceptions of social protection: Insights from the OECD Risks that Matter Survey (2024)
Zitatform
Frey, Valérie, Jasmin Thomas & Lyydia Alajääskö (2024): Gender gaps in perceptions of social protection: Insights from the OECD Risks that Matter Survey. In: International social security review, Jg. 77, H. 4, S. 23-48. DOI:10.1111/issr.12374
Abstract
"Aufgrund ihres geringeren Verbleibens im Arbeitsmarkt sowie ihres niedrigeren Einkommens verspüren Frauen systematisch eine höhere finanzielle Unsicherheit als Männer in allen Mitgliedsländern der Organisation für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (OECD). Ähnliche Geschlechterungleichheiten treten bei der Wahrnehmung von Sozialschutzsystemen auf: Hier vertrauen Frauen viel weniger als Männer ihrer Fähigkeit hinsichtlich des Zugangs zu Leistungen und Dienstleistungen sowie des Erhalts angemessener Einkommensunterstützung, sofern sie diese benötigen, sowohl im erwerbsfähigen als auch im hohen Alter. Die Ergebnisse der länderübergreifenden OECD-Umfrage „Risks that Matter“ (Risiken, die wichtig sind – RTM) belegen, dass in allen Ländern durchschnittlich etwa die Hälfte der Frauen das Gefühl hat, im Bedarfsfall keinen leichten Zugang zu öffentlichen Leistungen zu bekommen, im Gegensatz zu 43 Prozent der Männer. Diese wahrgenommene Nichtzugänglichkeit ist wahrscheinlich ein Spiegelbild der Geschlechterungleichheiten bei den wahrgenommenen „Kosten durch Ärger “, die mit den Anträgen zu Sozialprogrammen und der Übernahme des Verwaltungsaufwands im Haushalt verbunden sind, sowie auch der niedrigeren Sozialversicherungsbeiträge von Frauen. Dieser Artikel beleuchtet die Geschlechterungleichheiten im Entwurf von Sozialprogrammen und zeigt Möglichkeiten für Regierungen auf, um bei der Verbesserung des Zugangs und der Angemessenheit des Sozialschutzes die Geschlechterfrage besser zu berücksichtigen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons)
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Literaturhinweis
When mothers do it all: gender-role norms, women's employment, and fertility intentions in post-industrial societies (2024)
Zitatform
Han, Sinn Won, Ohjae Gowen & Mary C. Brinton (2024): When mothers do it all: gender-role norms, women's employment, and fertility intentions in post-industrial societies. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 40, H. 2, S. 309-325. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcad036
Abstract
"Post-industrial countries with high rates of female labour force participation have generally had low fertility rates, but recent studies demonstrate that this is no longer the case. This has generated increased attention to how greater gender equality in the private sphere of the household may contribute to a positive relationship between women’s employment rates and fertility. Building on recent scholarship demonstrating the multidimensionality of gender-role attitudes, we argue that conversely, the prevalence of a gender-role ideology that supports women’s employment but places greater priority on their role as caregivers may depress the higher-order fertility intentions of working mothers. Using data from 25 European countries, we find that this type of gender-role ideology (egalitarian familism) moderates the relationship between mothers’ full-time employment and their intention to have a second child. This holds even after accounting for key features of the policy environment that are likely to mitigate work–family conflict. The analysis suggests that conflicting normative expectations for women’s work and family roles tend to dampen working mothers’ second-order fertility intentions, independent of work–family reconciliation policies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Closing the Gender Gap: Promoting Labour Market Participation (2024)
Zitatform
Harris, Jorgen M. & Eleonora Patacchini (2024): Closing the Gender Gap: Promoting Labour Market Participation. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17219), Bonn, 38 S.
Abstract
"In many countries, a significant share of the gender earnings gap stems not only from firm’s practices, or self-selection into lower productivity jobs, but also from a lower participation among women. Inactivity around the age of motherhood is frequent including in the most advanced countries, and can have lasting consequences on the chances to return to the labor market, as well as future earnings and promotions. In this paper, we discuss the major barriers reducing women’s labor force participation and examine the effects of several policies aimed at overcoming those barriers: parental leave, reserved paternal leave, statefunded childcare for young children, extended school hours, and individual taxation. For each, we provide a brief discussion of policy design and effectiveness." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Societal Aging and Attitudes towards Women in the Labor Market: Evidence from European Countries (2024)
Zitatform
Irmen, Andreas, Rana Cömertpay & Anastasia Litina (2024): Societal Aging and Attitudes towards Women in the Labor Market: Evidence from European Countries. In: Economics Bulletin, Jg. 44, H. 4, S. 1326-1332.
Abstract
"This paper examines the relationship between societal aging and attitudes toward women in the labor market. We hypothesize that, up to a certain point, these attitudes are more favorable as societies grow ”older”. In these societies, people may better recognize that an increase in female labor force participation can help mitigate the challenges that societal aging imposes on the welfare state. To test this hypothesis, we conduct a multilevel analysis of individuals from 25 European OECD countries between 2004 and 2017, using the Old Age Dependency Ratio (OADR) as a proxy for societal aging and gender-related questions from the European Social Survey (ESS). Our findings reveal a hump-shaped relationship between societal aging and attitudes towards women in the labor market. In the early stages of demographic change, particularly in countries with a rising OADR, positive attitudes can be attributed to the recognition that an aging population necessitates a larger working-age population, making women a logical resource for expansion, thus fostering more favorable norms. However, as societal aging progresses further, conservative views associated with older populations begin to dominate, leading to a deterioration in gender norms. in the labor market. In the early stages of demographic change, particularly in countries with a rising OADR, positive attitudes can be attributed to the recognition that an aging population necessitates a larger working-age population, making women a logical resource for expansion, thus fostering more favorable norms. However, as societal aging progresses further, conservative views associated with older populations begin to dominate, leading to a deterioration in gender norms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How do lifecycle, employment and childcare support contribute to the gender pension gap in Europe? The clustering methods analysis (2024)
Zitatform
Jędrzychowska, Anna, Ilona Kwiecień, Ewa Poprawska, Ewa Cichowicz & Ewa Gałecka-Burdziak (2024): How do lifecycle, employment and childcare support contribute to the gender pension gap in Europe? The clustering methods analysis. In: Technological and Economic Development of Economy, Jg. 30, H. 6, S. 1862-1889. DOI:10.3846/tede.2024.21887
Abstract
"Despite ongoing efforts in Europe to tackle discrimination against women in the labor market and societal roles, gender inequality remains entrenched. This study shifts focus from the design of pension systems to explore other key factors impacting women’s careers. By examining life cycle demographics, career paths, and childcare support systems, we utilize clustering to categorize European countries based on factors influencing women’s pension capital accumulation, excluding pension design. Our innovative approach highlights the significance of these factors in the gender pension gap. Findings suggest demographic and social similarities across countries do not necessarily equate to equitable retirement scenarios for women compared to men, underscoring the potential of pension system design to mitigate disparities. Using Ward’s method and the silhouette index for country classification on 10 variables, our analysis reveals distinct differences in gender pension gaps across Southern, Northern, Western, and Eastern Europe. This divergence, alongside observed differences in retirement outcomes for women affected by prior pension regulations, points to increasing challenges for younger European women in achieving pension parity with past generations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, @ 2024 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius GediminasTechnical University) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Defamilization? Not for everyone. Unequal labor-market participation among informal caregivers in Europe (2024)
Zitatform
Laschinski, Miriam (2024): Defamilization? Not for everyone. Unequal labor-market participation among informal caregivers in Europe. In: Journal of European Social Policy, Jg. 34, H. 4, S. 419-436. DOI:10.1177/09589287241251990
Abstract
"Growing care dependencies among the elderly due to population ageing in Europe challenge the labor-market participation of informal caregivers. While familiarized care regimes incentivize family caregiving by providing many cash-for-care-benefits, resulting in reduced labor supply, defamiliarized care regimes allocate more public spending to care infrastructure, alleviating the care responsibilities placed on family members. At the same time, care provision on the micro-level is distributed unequally across gender, age, and socioeconomic status. The question then emerges: Does the labor-market participation of informal caregivers vary between and within countries depending on the social-expenditure policy of welfare states? To answer this research question, a multilevel design was used, employing SHARE data and macro-indicators from OECD and Eurostat databases. The results reveal higher probabilities of labour-market participation for informal caregivers in general when social expenditures on formal care infrastructure are higher. However, labor-market participation was observed as being unequally distributed among the heterogeneous group of persons with and without caregiving duties. Women and individuals of lower socioeconomic status did not benefit from social expenditures in the same way as their counterparts, leading to lower levels of labor-market participation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Working from Home and Mental Well-being in the EU at Different Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Gendered Look at Key Mediators (2024)
Zitatform
Leitner, Sandra M. (2024): Working from Home and Mental Well-being in the EU at Different Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Gendered Look at Key Mediators. (WIIW working paper 244), Wien, 44 S.
Abstract
"This paper analyses the relationship between working from home (WFH) and mental well-being at different stages during the first two critical years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when governments repeatedly imposed lockdowns and enacted WFH mandates to contain the spread of the virus. Using data from a representative survey conducted at four different time periods in 2020 (first lockdown, subsequent gradual reopening), 2021 (further lockdown) and 2022 (restrictions widely lifted) in the 27 EU member states, it examines the potentially changing role of several mediators over time, such as work-family conflict, family-work conflict, stability, resilience, isolation, the importance of different support networks, workload, physical risk of contracting COVID-19 at work, and housing conditions. For the first lockdown, it also differentiates by previous WFH experience, in terms of WFH novices and experienced WFH workers. It differentiates by gender, in order to take the potential gendered nature and effect of COVID-19 measures into account. The results show that while there was no direct relationship between WFH and mental well-being, there are several important mediators whose relevance was specific not only to certain stages of the pandemic, but also to previous experience with WFH and gender. Stability is the only mediator that was relevant over the entire two-year pandemic period. Work-family conflict and family-work conflict were only relevant during the first lockdown, while resilience and isolation mattered especially when most of the EU economies had lifted most of their restrictions. Unlike established WFH workers, WFH novices had an advantage during the first lockdown, benefiting from lower family-work conflict and more helpful networks of family and friends. Moreover, our results differ by gender for females who undertook WFH, important mediators were work-family conflict and family-work conflict. Both were related to adjustments they had to make in work and non-work" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Caring fathers in Europe: Toward universal caregiver families? (2024)
Martínez-Pastor, Juan-Ignacio; Jurado-Guerrero, Teresa; Castellanos-Serrano, Cristina ; Fernández-Lozano, Irina ;Zitatform
Martínez-Pastor, Juan-Ignacio, Teresa Jurado-Guerrero, Irina Fernández-Lozano & Cristina Castellanos-Serrano (2024): Caring fathers in Europe: Toward universal caregiver families? In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 31, H. 5, S. 1616-1638. DOI:10.1111/gwao.12948
Abstract
"Increasingly, men are challenging the assumption that care is a feminine task and are involving themselves in childcare and the care of dependent adults. However, this does not necessarily have consequences for their work, as they very rarely make costly adaptations in their working lives. In this study, we propose a definition of a man in care (MIC) as a working father who, in order to meet care needs, has adapted his working life in a way that potentially entails a financial penalty. We analyze the prevalence of men in care among men living with children below the age of 15 across the EU-27 plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK using recent representative data (the European Labour Survey and its 2018 ad hoc module on work-life balance). We find that although the number of men engaging in costly work adaptations is still very low when compared to their female counterparts, the characteristics of these men can be clearly outlined: they have a non-manual occupation (managers excluded), they have temporary contracts or are self-employed, they are partnered to women who hold jobs of 40 or more hours a week and have a high educational attainment, and they work in family-friendly companies. Also, at the context level, the prevalence of MIC is clearly related to gender equality and values. However, we do not find evidence of any country having reached the universal caregiver model proposed by Nancy Fraser, including those with more advanced gender and welfare regimes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
His unemployment, her response, and the moderating role of welfare policies in European countries. Results from a preregistered study (2024)
Zitatform
Matysiak, Anna, Anna Kurowska & Alina Maria Pavelea (2024): His unemployment, her response, and the moderating role of welfare policies in European countries. Results from a preregistered study. In: PLoS ONE, Jg. 19. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0306964
Abstract
"Recent changes in labor markets have increased employment instability. Under these conditions, in male breadwinner families women might increase their labor supply when their male partners become unemployed. Previous studies have extensively investigated the role played by household and individual characteristics in explaining such increases in the labor supply of women. However, studies which examine the moderating role of specific welfare policies are missing. Our study contributes to the literature by investigating the moderating effect of childcare and tax-benefit policies for the labor supply response of women following the unemployment of their partner. We focus on a sample of 24 EU member states and the UK, during the period 2009-2019, combining longitudinal microdata from EU-SILC with country-period specific policy indicators generated with the use of the tax-benefit simulation model EUROMOD, UKMOD and country-period specific indicators of childcare use. We find that women indeed respond to men’sunemployment by increasing their labor supply though the response is fairly weak. We also find the response is not restricted by having children at home or availability of public childcare and does not depend on the generosity of unemployment benefits. It is, however, negatively affected by marginal tax rates." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Outside the box? – Women's individual poverty risk in the EU and the role of labor market characteristics and tax-benefit policies (2024)
Zitatform
Popova, Daria, Katrin Gasior & Silvia Avram (2024): Outside the box? – Women's individual poverty risk in the EU and the role of labor market characteristics and tax-benefit policies. (ISER working paper series / Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex 2024-02), Colchester, 31 S.
Abstract
"Social policy debates as early as the 1950s have focused on the activation of individuals into employment. This assumes jobs with good work-ing conditions and fair pay; ignores women's reality of part-time work, unpaid care work and the gender pay gap; and has often resulted in the weakening of traditional social protection. We study the individual poverty risk of women under the adult worker paradigm across the EU using the tax-benefit model EUROMOD and EU-SILC data. Comparing the individual poverty risk of working-age women to the benchmark of typical male workers, we highlight heterogeneity driven by women's economic situation and job characteristics and analyze the role of the tax-benefit system in reducing the gap. The analysis shows that only slightly more than one third of women isn't the adult worker model, while this is the case for almost two thirds of men. Inactive and unemployed women are particularly likely to be vulnerable to poverty, but even women with the same characteristics as male reference workers experience a higher poverty risk, highlighting the role of the gender pay gap. Benefits cushion some of the gendered labor market differences but are often not generous enough for unemployed and inactive women or not sufficiently available for self-employed women. Women in atypical employment are furthermore disproportionally affected by taxes and social insurance contributions as they lead to a higher poverty rate, contributing to a larger gap compared to typical male workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Ship of Theseus: from ILO Standards to Outcome of Maternity Protection Policy (2024)
Zitatform
Son, Keonhi (2024): Ship of Theseus: from ILO Standards to Outcome of Maternity Protection Policy. In: Journal of Social Policy, Jg. 53, S. 189-217. DOI:10.1017/S0047279422000010
Abstract
"Previous research focuses on the question of whether international standards have prompted any improvement of labor and social standards by law or in practice. This paper complements the literature by showing that the way that international standards are translated and implemented at the national level matters as well. Using a novel historical database on paid maternity leave policies in 160 countries with a time series from 1883 to 2018, I document how informal sector workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) fell by the wayside in the widespread adoption of the International Labour Organization (ILO) maternity protection standards. First, the analysis shows that while the adoption of the ILO Maternity Protection Conventions triggered the introduction and extension of maternity leave policies throughout the world, LMICs ignored the provision of social assistance benefits. Second, even when LMICs extended the coverage of maternity leave policies to the informal sector, the implementation constraints further hindered the access of women workers in the informal sector to maternity benefits." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
2024 report on gender equality in the EU (2024)
Zitatform
(2024): 2024 report on gender equality in the EU. (... report on gender equality in the EU / European Commission, Justice and Consumers), Luxembourg, 75 S. DOI:10.2838/401813
Abstract
"(...) the 2024 report on gender equality in the EU takes stock of the main initiatives from March 2023 until February 2024 to advance gender equality in the Strategy ’s key areas , namely: - Being free from violence and stereotypes; - Thriving in a gender-equal economy; - Leading equally throughout society; - Gender mainstreaming and funding; and - Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment across the world. The report focuses on the keyactions and achievements of EU institutions in this area. It also provides encouraging examples of legislative and policy developments by Member States (indicated in the boxes), and work by EU-funded projects in the above areas." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender stereotypes: Eurobarometer report. Fieldwork: Jan.-Feb. 2024 (2024)
Zitatform
(2024): Gender stereotypes. Eurobarometer report. Fieldwork: Jan.-Feb. 2024. (Special Eurobarometer / Europäische Kommission 545), [Brüssel], 138 S. DOI:10.2838/77926
Abstract
"This Special Eurobarometer survey aims at exploring perceptions around gender stereotypes and at measuring the extent to which these are still common among EU citizens. The survey partly builds on previous Special Eurobarometer studies on gender equality conducted on the topic of ‘Gender equality’ in 2009, 2014 and 2017. Areas covered include: Perceptions of gender equality and general stereotypes about gender roles and attributes and acceptable behaviours ; Perceptions of gender stereotypes concerning family and professional life ; Perceptions of gender stereotypes in politics and in leadership positions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Taxing Wages 2024: Tax and Gender through the Lens of the Second Earner (2024)
Zitatform
(2024): Taxing Wages 2024. Tax and Gender through the Lens of the Second Earner. (Taxing wages / OECD 2024), Paris, 676 S. DOI:10.1787/dbcbac85-en
Abstract
"This annual publication provides details of taxes paid on wages in OECD countries. This year’s edition focuses on fiscal incentives for second earners in the OECD and how tax policy might contribute to gender gaps in labor market outcomes. For the year 2023, the report also examines personal income taxes and social security contributions paid by employees, social security contributions and payroll taxes paid by employers, and cash benefits received by workers. It illustrates how these taxes and benefits are calculated in each member country and examines how they impact household incomes. The results also enable quantitative cross-country comparisons of labor cost levels and the overall tax and benefit position of single persons and families on different levels of earnings. The publication shows average and marginal effective tax rates on labor costs for eight different household types, which vary by income level and household composition (single persons, single parents, one or two earner couples with or without children). The average tax rates measure the part of gross wage earnings or labour costs taken in tax and social security contributions, both before and after cash benefits, and the marginal tax rates the part of a small increase of gross earnings or labour costs that is paid in these levies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Paid parental leave: Big differences for mothers and fathers (2023)
Zitatform
Adema, Willem, Jonas Fluchtmann, Alexandre Lloyd & Valentina Patrini (2023): Paid parental leave: Big differences for mothers and fathers. In: OECD Statistics blog, S. 1-13.
Abstract
"Employment-protected paid parental leave is a central element of family policy in most OECD countries. Paid parental leave primarily aims to support parents and children by letting both parents take time off paid work to care for a very young child. This is good for many things, including household finances, child development and parental well-being. Paid leave policies can also promote a better sharing of unpaid work within households by encouraging fathers to use their leave entitlements and get more involved in childcare. Data on availability and use of paid leave entitlements is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of such policies. However, the design of paid leave policy varies markedly across countries, which complicates measuring progress in its use. The OECD Family Database provides an overview of parental leave systems and their use across OECD countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender differences in fairness evaluations of own earnings in 28 European countries (2023)
Zitatform
Adriaans, Jule & Matteo Targa (2023): Gender differences in fairness evaluations of own earnings in 28 European countries. In: European Societies, Jg. 25, H. 1, S. 107-131. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2022.2083651
Abstract
"Women tend to evaluate their own pay more favorably than men. Contented women are speculated to not seek higher wages, thus the ‘paradox of the contented female worker’ may contribute to persistent gender pay differences. We extend the literature on gender differences in pay evaluations by investigating fairness evaluations of own earnings and underlying conceptions of fair earnings, providing a closer link to potential subsequent wage demands than previous literature. Using European Social Survey (2018/2019) data, we find no evidence that women evaluate their own earnings more favorably than men. In 15 out of the 28 analyzed countries, women actually report more intense levels of perceived unfairness. Studying fair markups on unfair earnings, i.e. the relative distance between the earnings received and earnings considered fair, we find that women report the same, if not lower, fair markups compared to men in most countries; thus indicating limited potential for perceived unfairness as a driving force to reduce the gender pay gap in Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Gender Wage Gap and Parenthood: Occupational Characteristics Across European Countries (2023)
Zitatform
Adsera, Alícia & Federica Querin (2023): The Gender Wage Gap and Parenthood: Occupational Characteristics Across European Countries. In: European Journal of Population, Jg. 39. DOI:10.1007/s10680-023-09681-4
Abstract
"Different strands of research analyse gender occupational differences and how they relate to differential earnings, especially among parents juggling family demands. We use rich data from PIAAC across a subset of European countries and match occupational characteristics to individuals’ jobs using the O*NET database to analyse, first, whether there are gender differences in the occupational characteristics of jobs, particularly among parents, and second, whether the return to key occupational characteristics varies by gender. Compared to men, women’s jobs generally require more contact with others, less autonomy in decision-making, and less time pressure. In addition, positions held by mothers involve both less leadership expectations and less intensive use of machines than those held by fathers. Further, mothers receive a lower return to both of these occupational characteristics than fathers do. Finally, even though gaps in occupational characteristics such as leadership jointly with the differential sorting of mothers and fathers across sectors explain part of the gender wage gap in Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition models, especially in Continental Europe, a large share remains unexplained particularly in Eastern and Southern European countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Promoting gender equality to strengthen economic growth and resilience (2023)
Andre, Christophe; Causa, Orsetta; Unsal, Filiz; Sutherland, Douglas; Soldani, Emilia;Zitatform
Andre, Christophe, Orsetta Causa, Emilia Soldani, Douglas Sutherland & Filiz Unsal (2023): Promoting gender equality to strengthen economic growth and resilience. (OECD Economics Department working papers 1776), Paris, 23 S. DOI:10.1787/54090c29-en
Abstract
"Women's employment rates and wages are still lagging those of men across OECD countries, with average employment and wage gaps now around 15% and 12% respectively. Gaps narrowed at a relatively modest pace over the past decade, calling for further policy action. A lack of affordable high-quality childcare is often an obstacle to women's participation in the labor market and notably to working full time. A very unequal sharing of parental leave between parents and challenges upon return to work further hampers women's careers. Biases in the tax system may discourage women from working in some countries. Women face disadvantage in accessing management positions and entrepreneurship. A range of policies can help reduce gender gaps, including better childcare provision, incentivizing parents to better share parental leave, re-skilling and upskilling on return from parental leave, encouraging gender equality within firms, integration programs for foreign-born women, promoting women entrepreneurship and financial inclusion, and levelling taxation for second earners. Moreover, the multiple dimensions and root causes of gender inequality call for mainstreaming gender across policy domains." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
From gender equality to household earnings equality: The role of women’s labour market outcomes across OECD countries (2023)
Zitatform
Azzollini, Leo, Richard Breen & Brian Nolan (2023): From gender equality to household earnings equality: The role of women’s labour market outcomes across OECD countries. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 86. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2023.100823
Abstract
"We assess the impact that full gender equality in the labour market would have on earnings inequality between households, and then decompose that impact by looking separately at the roles played by gender gaps in employment, hours, and pay. We do this by applying a reweighting method to LIS data for 22 OECD countries, across North America, Europe, and Australia. We find that full equality in earnings and employment between women and men would reduce household earnings inequality considerably, with the most substantial reductions coming from closing the gender gap in employment as opposed to closing the gaps in pay and hours worked. A 10% counterfactual decrease in the gender employment gap (relative to the country baseline) is associated with an average 0.6% decline in the Gini for household earnings inequality. Reducing the gender employment gap is thus the pathway through which greater gender equality may most strongly mitigate overall earnings inequality among households: these two key goals for contemporary societies can be pursued simultaneously." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Mothers' and daughters' employment in Europe. A comparative analysis (2023)
Zitatform
Berloffa, Gabriella, Eleonora Matteazzi, Alina Şandor & Paola Villa (2023): Mothers' and daughters' employment in Europe. A comparative analysis. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 21, H. 2, S. 767-793. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwac046
Abstract
"This article analyzes the intergenerational correlation of employment between young women (at about 30 years of age) and their mothers (when their daughters were about 14 years old), using 2011 European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions data. It examines the extent to which this correlation varies across 19 European countries and is associated with the socioeconomic context at the national level. Having grown up with a working mother is associated with a sizeable increase in the daughters’ employment probability in almost all countries, with greater effect for women with children. For this group, the intergenerational correlation is smaller in countries where the policy context is less favorable to maternal employment. It is crucial to promote gender equality, challenging individuals’ gender stereotypes through education and in society at large, and create conditions that allow young women’s preferences for work to be realized, enhancing policies that favor a balanced sharing of unpaid work." (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