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
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
Distribution of gender and labour force participation and filial support types in Europe and Israel (2026)
Zitatform
Batur, Zeynep Zümer, Jeroen K. Vermunt, Dimitri Mortelmans & Jorik Vergauwen (2026): Distribution of gender and labour force participation and filial support types in Europe and Israel. In: Ageing & Society, Jg. 46, S. 1-19. DOI:10.1017/s0144686x25100391
Abstract
"Informal care-giving studies have largely ignored how gender and labour force participation intersect to shape filial support across diverse national contexts over time. In particular, comparative longitudinal research that explores care-giving intensity in relation to adult children’s employment status and gender remains scarce. This study addresses this gap by developing a typology of filial support and examining how care-giving patterns vary by gender and labour force participation across different country clusters in Europe and Israel. Drawing on longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we apply latent Markov models and multi-level latent class analysis to identify seven distinct filial support states, ranging from no support to very intense support. We also classify 28 countries into three clusters based on levels of involvement in filial support: low, moderate and high. Our findings indicate significant disparities based on gender and employment status, with daughters tending to provide more intensive support than sons, even when employed. Unemployed sons in countries with moderate involvement in filial support were three times more likely to provide intensive care compared to their counterparts in countries characterized by low or higher involvement. These variations suggest that support to ageing parents is deeply shaped by gendered employment opportunities and cultural care-giving norms. This complexity underscores the necessity for nuanced policy approaches to support care-givers effectively, considering both gender inequalities and employment contexts. Recognizing these intricate patterns of informal care can inform targeted interventions, ultimately addressing the care-giving burden within ageing societies more effectively." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Einleitung: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer geschlechtergerechten Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik (2026)
Zitatform
Bothfeld, Silke, Christian Hohendanner, Petra Schütt & Aysel Yollu-Tok (2026): Einleitung: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer geschlechtergerechten Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik. In: S. Bothfeld, C. Hohendanner, P. Schütt & A. Yollu-Tok (Hrsg.) (2026): Geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik, S. 9-26.
Abstract
"Wer über Geschlechtergerechtigkeit spricht, kommt an der begrifflichen Unterscheidung zwischen Gleichberechtigung und Gleichstellungspolitik nicht vorbei. Diese Differenz ist grundlegend für das Verständnis politischer, sozialer und ökonomischer Maßnahmen zur Überwindung geschlechterbezogener Ungleichheiten. Gleichberechtigung meint die rechtlich garantierte Gleichheit von Frauen und Männern – wie sie etwa in Artikel 3 des Grundgesetzes verankert ist. Sie garantiert allen Menschen denselben Zugang zu Rechten: zum Bildungssystem, zum Arbeitsmarkt, zu politischen Ämtern. Doch so unverzichtbar diese rechtliche Grundlage ist, so unzureichend ist sie, wenn es um die tatsächliche Teilhabe in einer nach wie vor von struktureller Ungleichheit geprägten Gesellschaft geht. Hier setzt die Gleichstellungspolitik an: Sie begnügt sich nicht mit der formalen Gleichheit, sondern zielt auf faktische Chancengleichheit. Für die Gleichstellung der Geschlechter wurde daher im Artikel 3 Abs. 2 (»Männer und Frauen sind gleichberechtigt.«) 1994 der Zusatz aufgenommen »Der Staat fördert die tatsächliche Durchsetzung der Gleichberechtigung von Frauen und Männern und wirkt auf die Beseitigung bestehender Nachteile hin«. Die Gleichstellungspolitik soll in diesem Sinne bestehende Benachteiligungen – etwa beim Einkommen, bei der Verteilung von Sorgearbeit, beim Zugang zu Führungspositionen oder in den sozialen Sicherungssystemen – sichtbar machen und Instrumente entwickeln, um Ungleichheiten abzubauen. Gleichstellungspolitik bedeutet nicht Privilegierung oder Sonderbehandlung, sondern sie ist Ausdruck eines demokratischen Gestaltungsauftrags: Sie soll sicherstellen, dass Gleichberechtigung nicht nur auf dem Papier steht, sondern im gesellschaftlichen Alltag wirksam wird. Dieser Sammelband greift zentrale Fragen dieser Gestaltungsaufgabe im Rahmen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik auf und versammelt Beiträge, die sich mit geschlechterbezogenen Ungleichheiten am Arbeitsmarkt und im Sozialstaat befassen – empirisch fundiert, theoretisch reflektiert und mit einem gemeinsamen Ziel: Geschlechtergerechtigkeit nicht nur zu fordern, sondern Hinweise und Vorschläge für die Gestaltung von konkreten Strukturen und politischen Maßnahmen zu präsentieren." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
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
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
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
Does Gender Ideology Matter? Pre-pandemic Gender Role Attitudes and the Division of Housework and Childcare During COVID-19 in Germany (2026)
Zitatform
Firl, Katrin & Anna Hebel (2026): Does Gender Ideology Matter? Pre-pandemic Gender Role Attitudes and the Division of Housework and Childcare During COVID-19 in Germany. In: Comparative Population Studies, Jg. 51, S. 23-48. DOI:10.12765/cpos-2026-02
Abstract
"Women and mothers perform the lion ’s share of unpaid family labor (i.e., housework and childcare) in Germany, negatively affecting their finances, time resources, opportunities in life, and mental health. The constraints brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the pandemic-related changes in working hours, are thought to have reorganized the division of unpaid family labor. However, changes in time availability alone cannot explain couples’ heterogeneous pandemic responses. While framing the pandemic as a natural experiment, we first examine how individuals’ pre-pandemic gender role attitudes (GRAs) shape the division of family labor during the pandemic. Second, we examine how individuals’ pre-pandemic GRAs moderate the effect of changing working hours during the pandemic on the division of family labor. We use Waves 11 and 13 of the German Family Panel “pairfam” to analyze two samples and questions. We examine (1) respondents in heterosexual, cohabitating relationships with and without children to study the division of housework and (2) respondents in heterosexual, cohabitating relationships living with at least one child to study the division of childcare. We find that individuals holding traditional pre-pandemic GRAs are, to some degree, more likely to have had a higher female share of family labor during the pandemic: for both housework and childcare, this association can be found for the samples as a whole, as well as for the sample with only men, but not for only women. However, the association is small and - for housework - only marginally significant. Most notably, we find evidence for a three-way-interaction between gender, GRAs, and changes in time availability for childcare: egalitarian men who reduced working hours took on a significantly greater share of childcare than traditional men did, consistent with the idea of "gender deviance neutralization". Traditionally-oriented men might take on less female-connotated unpaid labor, as their reduced engagement in the labor market does not match their masculinity ideals. We found no moderation effect of GRAs on the influence of increasing working hours during the pandemic on the division of family labor, neither for women nor men. Our analysis provides new insights into gendered interactional processes regarding time availability and its association with the gendered division of housework and childcare in a quasi-experimental setting that reduces endogeneity. While association sizes are small, our findings support the notion of a complex interplay between gender, GRAs, and time availability in the gendered division of labor." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
State-level gender inequality and couples’ relative earnings following parenthood over four decades (2026)
Zitatform
Musick, Kelly & Wonjeong Jeong (2026): State-level gender inequality and couples’ relative earnings following parenthood over four decades. In: Social science research, Jg. 135. DOI:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103302
Abstract
"We draw from gender perspectives on the division of labor and emerging research on structural sexism to empirically evaluate how systemic gender inequality shapes within-couple earnings inequality at the turning point of parenthood. Our data on pre- and post-birth earnings come from successive couple-level panels of the Current Population Survey over four decades (1982–2020, N = 87,694 couples and 175,388 couple-observations), merged to state-level indicators of gender inequality spanning the same time period that tap the devaluation of work done by women across multiple domains. Results from fixed effect models suggest that state-level gender inequality shapes couples' responses to parenthood in meaningful ways, with steeper declines in wives' relative earnings among new parents living in states that place lower value on women's work. The estimated effect of sexism is gendered, operating through wives' earnings. It persists through the early childbearing years and across decades, and it varies little by measures of couples' social advantage. Evidence that structural sexism exacerbates earnings inequality among parents is robust, with implications for mothers' economic vulnerability and well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Nonstandard work schedules and work-life balance in dual-earner households: The role of parenthood (2026)
Zitatform
Resendez, Sarahi, Jianghong Li & Matthias Pollmann-Schult (2026): Nonstandard work schedules and work-life balance in dual-earner households: The role of parenthood. In: Journal of Family Research, Jg. 38, S. 1-22. DOI:10.20377/jfr-1259
Abstract
"Objective: This study examines whether nonstandard work schedules (NSWS) improve or hinder work-life balance (WLB) for parents and non-parents in dual-earner households. Background: Previous research shows that NSWS can negatively affect workers' well-being. However, less is known about whether and to what extent these effects differ between parents and childless individuals. Method: Using data from the first wave of the German Family Demography Panel Study (FReDA), linear regression models are applied to assess whether the effect of NSWS on WLB is influenced by family circumstances. Results: Parenthood is generally associated with lower WLB. However, the negative association between NSWS and WLB is more pronounced among childless workers. Notably, mothers of young children (ages 0-5), as well as fathers of school-aged children (ages 6-12) working NSWS report higher WLB than their childless counterparts. Conclusion: Parents with NSWS in dual-earner households do not necessarily experience lower WLB than childless workers. In some cases, NSWS may even help parents better reconcile work and family responsibilities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
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
Estimating the effect of working from home on parents' division of childcare and housework: A new panel IV approach (2026)
Zitatform
Schüller, Simone (2026): Estimating the effect of working from home on parents' division of childcare and housework: A new panel IV approach. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 99. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2026.102866
Abstract
"This study investigates whether (and how) working from home (WFH) affects the gender division of parental unpaid labor. I use the recent COVID-19 pandemic that brought an unanticipated yet lasting shift to WFH, combined with a measure of occupational WFH feasibility (Alipour et al. 2023) as a quasi-experiment to employ an instrumental variable (IV) approach and estimate causal effects. I use unique longitudinal data from the “Growing up in Germany” (AID:A) panel study, which administered a pre-pandemicwave in 2019, and a post-pandemic wave in 2023. AID:A contains rich information on mothers’ and fathers’ time use for work, commuting, childcare, and housework. I find that the most robust effects emerge for frequent (at least once a week) paternal WFH on parental division of housework: families in which fathers start weekly WFH in the period 2019 to 2023—due to their occupational WFH capacity in combination with the pandemic WFH-boost—experience a significant decrease in the maternal share of housework. Interestingly, this shift appears to be mainly driven by a reduction of maternal time use for housework (combined with an increase in her work hours) and less by an increase in paternal time use for housework, suggesting cross-parent effects of WFH. Further analysis confirms changes in paternal gender role attitudes as a plausible mechanism." (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
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))
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Literaturhinweis
Fertility and Family Leave Policies in Germany: Optimal Policy Design in a Dynamic Framework (2026)
Zitatform
Wang, Hanna (2026): Fertility and Family Leave Policies in Germany: Optimal Policy Design in a Dynamic Framework. (RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 2026,29), Berlin, 71 S.
Abstract
"I develop and estimate a life-cycle discrete-choice model of fertility and female labor supply to study the optimal design of a range of child-related policies. First, I examine two German reforms that introduced wage-contingent parental leave payments and expanded access to low-cost public childcare. I find that both reforms raised completed fertility, with the parental leave reform having a particularly strong impact on highly educated women. Second, I solve for a budget-neutral optimal policy portfolio that maximizes either aggregate welfare or fertility, while ensuring that welfare and fertility do not decline for any education group. I consider four prominent child subsidies as well as the degree of tax jointness. My results show that optimal policy has the potential to increase welfare by 0.5% or fertility by 5.7%. While the solutions are qualitatively similar, they prioritize different policy instruments depending on the specific objective being targeted." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Das Arbeitskräftepotenzial von Frauen - ein Weg aus dem Fachkräftemangel? (2026)
Zitatform
Wanger, Susanne (2026): Das Arbeitskräftepotenzial von Frauen - ein Weg aus dem Fachkräftemangel? In: S. Bothfeld, C. Hohendanner, P. Schütt & A. Yollu-Tok (Hrsg.) (2026): Geschlechtergerecht gestalten. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik, S. 75-90, 2025-02-11.
Abstract
"Trotz zunehmender Erwerbstätigkeit bleibt die Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen hinter deren Präferenzen zurück. Das unausgeschöpfte Erwerbspotenzial von teilzeitbeschäftigten Frauen, die ihre Arbeitszeit ausdehnen möchten, entspricht derzeit knapp 700.000 Vollzeitäquivalenten. Die Realisierung der Arbeitszeitwünsche und die Ausschöpfung des ungenutztem Arbeitsvolumens bei Frauen verlangt jedoch die Schaffung von günstigen Rahmenbedingungen, wie etwa bedarfsgerechte Kinderbetreuung und stärkere finanzielle Anreize für eine gleichmäßigere Aufteilung der Erwerbs- und Sorgearbeit." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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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, S. 1-19. 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
Heuristics and Signals: Experimental Evidence on Information and Wage Discrimination (2025)
-Wysocka, Katarzyna Bech; Smyk, Magdalena;Zitatform
-Wysocka, Katarzyna Bech & Magdalena Smyk (2025): Heuristics and Signals: Experimental Evidence on Information and Wage Discrimination. (GRAPE working paper / Group for Research in Applied Economics 106), Warszawa, 27 S.
Abstract
"Statistical discrimination theory explains wage differences between demographic groups by referring to differences in group averages or heuristic-based decision-making. This study investigates whether providing employers with accurate information about individual productivity affects wage-setting practices. We replicate a labor market scenario in which employers determine wages based on perceived productivity differences between male and female workers. Our experimental findings suggest that statistical discrimination influences initial wage decisions, but access to individual performance data reduces reliance on group-based heuristics. The dominant strategy when the actual information about performance is to share the resources according to contribution. We observe that in tasks where women statistically outperform, higher-scoring individuals tend to receive slightly less than their proportional contribution, whereas in tasks where men perform better, they tend to receive slightly more than their contribution. Furthermore, we show that with only statistical information, significant gender-based wage discrimination aligned with performance stereotypes occurs, but there is no gender discrimination under full information about performance. Our results contribute to the broader discussion on labour market inequalities and approaches to reducing statistical discrimination." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Die Qual der Wahl? Soziale Strukturierungen der tariflichen Wahlmöglichkeit zwischen Zeit und Geld (2025)
Zitatform
Abendroth-Sohl, Anja, Ann-Christin Bächmann, Alexandra Mellies & Kevin Ruf (2025): Die Qual der Wahl? Soziale Strukturierungen der tariflichen Wahlmöglichkeit zwischen Zeit und Geld. In: WSI-Mitteilungen, Jg. 78, H. 1, S. 22-29., 2025-11-01. DOI:10.5771/0342-300X-2025-1-22
Abstract
"Immer mehr Beschäftigte sehen sich mit Vereinbarkeitskonflikten zwischen Privatem und Beruflichem konfrontiert. Entsprechend hat der Wunsch nach mehr Mitbestimmung in der Gestaltung der individuellen Arbeitszeit gesellschaftlich stark an Bedeutung gewonnen. Vor diesem Hintergrund haben einige Gewerkschaften eine tarifliche Wahloption durchgesetzt, die es Beschäftigten erlaubt, sich jährlich zwischen mehr Zeit oder mehr Geld zu entscheiden. Dieser Beitrag untersucht, inwieweit die Wahl von mehr Zeit anstelle von mehr Geld sozial strukturiert ist; er berücksichtigt dabei Unterschiede bei der Wahl von Zeit sowie die dahinterliegenden Motive zwischen Männern und Frauen mit und ohne Kinder unter 14 Jahren im Haushalt." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, © Nomos)
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Literaturhinweis
The role of gender and equity norms in the social acceptance of outsourcing housework (2025)
Zitatform
Abraham, Martin, Hanna Walch & Anja Wunder (2025): The role of gender and equity norms in the social acceptance of outsourcing housework. In: Journal of Family Research, Jg. 37, S. 119-140., 2025-04-16. DOI:10.20377/jfr-1111
Abstract
"Fragestellung: In diese Studie wird das Zusammenspiel von Geschlechter- und Gleichheitsnormen im Hinblick auf die gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz der Auslagerung von Hausarbeit untersucht. Hintergrund: Zur Erklärung der Auslagerung von Hausarbeit werden häufig Geschlechternormen herangezogen, allerdings sind die bisherigen Forschungsergebnisse diesbezüglich jedoch uneinheitlich. Wir argumentieren, dass dies auf die Vernachlässigung einer weiteren zentralen Norm – der Gleichheit – zurückzuführen sein kann, die für das Verhältnis von Leistungen und Gegenleistungen in sozialen Austauschbeziehungen entscheidend ist. Methode: Zur Überprüfung unserer Hypothesen greifen wir auf eine faktoriellen Suryey zurück, die 2020 in Deutschland durchgeführt wurde (N = 366). Die Teilnehmenden bewerteten darin hypothetische Situationen (Vignetten), in denen ein Paar Hausarbeit an Dritte auslagert. Die Auswertung erfolgte mittels linearer Regressionsanalysen mit clusterrobusten Standardfehlern. Ergebnisse: Erstens ist die Auslagerung von Hausarbeit bei Frauen gesellschaftlich weniger akzeptiert als bei Männern – unabhängig davon, ob es sich um eine traditionell männlich oder weiblich konnotierte Aufgabe handelt. Zweitens steigt die Akzeptanz, wenn die auslagernde Person mehr Arbeitsstunden leistet. Drittens verringert sich der Gender Gap bei der sozialen Akzeptanz von Auslagerung nur bei vollzeitbeschäftigten Personen. Insbesondere teilzeitbeschäftigte Frauen stoßen auf geringere gesellschaftliche Zustimmung. Schlussfolgerung: Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Geschlechternormen die soziale Akzeptanz der Auslagerung von Hausarbeit durch teilzeitbeschäftigte Frauen verringern. Gleichheitsnormen hingegen können diesen Effekt bei vollzeitbeschäftigten Frauen abmildern. Insgesamt erweisen sich Geschlechternormen als besonders stabil in Paarmodellen mit einer traditionellen Rollenverteilung." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Parental Leave: Economic Incentives and Cultural Change (2025)
Albrecht, James ; Edin, Per-Anders ; Fernandez, Raquel; Vroman, Susan ; Thoursie, Peter; Lee, Jiwon;Zitatform
Albrecht, James, Per-Anders Edin, Raquel Fernandez, Jiwon Lee, Peter Thoursie & Susan Vroman (2025): Parental Leave: Economic Incentives and Cultural Change. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20541), London, 57 S.
Abstract
"The distribution of parental leave uptake and childcare activities continues to conform to traditional gender roles. In 2002, with the goal of increasing gender equality, Sweden added a second “daddy month,” i.e., an additional month of pay-related parental leave reserved exclusively for each parent. This policy increased men’s parental leave uptake and decreased women’s, thereby increasing men’s share. To understand how various factors contributed to these outcomes, we develop and estimate a quantitative model of the household in which preferences towards parental leave respond to peer behavior. We distinguish households by the education of the parents and ask the model to match key features of the parental leave distribution before and after the reform by gender and household type (the parents’ education). We find that changed incentives and, especially, changed social norms played an important role in generating these outcomes whereas changed wage parameters, including the future wage penalty associated with different lengths of parental leave uptake, were minor contributors. We then use our model to evaluate three counterfactual policies designed to increase men’s share of parental leave and conclude that giving each parent a non-transferable endowment of parental leave or only paying for the length of time equally taken by each parent would both dramatically increase men’s share whereas decreasing childcare costs has almost no effect." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
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.
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
Household chores, taxes, and the labor-supply elasticities of women and men (2025)
Zitatform
Bahn, Dorothée, Christian Bredemeier & Falko Juessen (2025): Household chores, taxes, and the labor-supply elasticities of women and men. (Ruhr economic papers 1177), Essen, 46 S. DOI:10.4419/96973362
Abstract
"We study how the division of household chores and individual preferences contribute to gender differences in labor supply elasticities and examine the implications for optimal taxation. In a model of labor supply in dual-earner households, we show that elasticities and optimal income tax rates depend jointly on gender and the within-household allocation of chores. Using PSID data, we find that chore division substantially affects labor supply elasticities, whereas gender per se plays a smaller role. We then evaluate how well simple, feasible tax rules can approximate the optimal within-household tax structure. Gender-based taxation captures a sizable share of the potential efficiency gains, but gender-neutral rules with realistic levels of progressivity perform better." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Supporting men as fathers: the value of a UK community dads’ project during the COVID-19 pandemic (2025)
Zitatform
Blackwell, Ian & Rebecca Carter Dillon (2025): Supporting men as fathers: the value of a UK community dads’ project during the COVID-19 pandemic. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-22. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2575164
Abstract
"This paper presents a study of a community dads’ project during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were gathered via a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and by attending eleven on-line Conversation Cafés. Men described how the project supported and affirmed their fathering practices as they were able to speak with other father figures about their challenges, to celebrate the rewards of parenting, and to socialise with others. Participants described how their confidence was enhanced and their identity as a father was validated through successful solo parenting activities, opportunities to bond with their child, by creating shared memories, and by being playful and physically active. While the community dads’ project offered welcoming and inclusive spaces for father figures to interact with their children and other dads, we note how these ‘dads only’ settings can be locations where mothers can be ‘othered’ as fretful and fussy by some individuals. While highlighting the need to be alert to the potential for such initiatives to become spaces for problematic counter-identification with the maternal, this research concludes that non-judgemental, community-based initiatives can nurture and strengthen father–child relationships, promote caring masculinities, fortify progressive fathering identities and encourage peer validation amongst fathers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Who You Gonna Call? Gender Inequality in External Demands for Parental Involvement (2025)
Zitatform
Buzard, Kristy, Laura K. Gee & Olga B. Stoddard (2025): Who You Gonna Call? Gender Inequality in External Demands for Parental Involvement. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 33775), Cambridge, Mass, 94 S.
Abstract
"Gender imbalance in time spent on child rearing causes gender inequalities in labor market outcomes, human capital accumulation, and economic mobility. We conduct a large-scale field experiment with a near-universe of US schools to investigate a potential source of inequality: external demands for parental involvement. Schools receive an email from a fictitious two-parent household and are asked to call one of the parents back. Mothers are 1.4 times more likely than fathers to be contacted. We decompose this inequality and demonstrate that the gender gap in external demands is associated with various measures of gender norms. We also show that signaling a father's availability substantially changes the gender pattern of callbacks. Our findings underscore a process through which agents outside the household contribute to within-household gender inequalities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
A chip off the old block? Perceptions of intergenerational role modelling through paired depth interviews with fathers and adult sons (2025)
Zitatform
Cammu, Nola & Stéfanie André (2025): A chip off the old block? Perceptions of intergenerational role modelling through paired depth interviews with fathers and adult sons. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2584088
Abstract
"During the last few decades, caregiving by fathers has experienced an upsurge in scholarly attention. Although the Netherlands has taken policy measures to enhance work-care equality, a more equal division of work and caregiving is not evident in practice. To better understand the discrepancy between work-care attitudes and work-care behaviour, this paper focuses on the question of who adult sons see as ‘role models’ in their work-care attitudes and behaviour. Fathers and their adult sons (N = 32) were paired depth interviewed about how their work-care attitudes and behaviour are passed down through the generations and how they are influenced by their environment. Three main themes emerged from our data: role modelling as indeterminate; role modelling as dispersed; and the importance of evolved and changing contexts. Fathers draw from a ‘palette’ of dispersed role models to construct their work-care behaviour in accordance with what is (or was) feasible for them and their environment at a given moment in time. In addition, our findings contribute to methodological knowledge of the strengths and limitations of paired depth interviewing as a qualitative research method." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Beliefs and Realities of Work and Care After Childbirth (2025)
Zitatform
Caplin, Andrew, Søren Leth-Petersen & Christopher Tonetti (2025): Beliefs and Realities of Work and Care After Childbirth. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20423), London, 32 S.
Abstract
"Models of female labor supply routinely assume that women have accurate expectations about post-birth employment, but little is known about whether this assumption holds. We use a 2019 state-contingent survey of 11,000 Danish women linked to administrative data to compare pre-birth beliefs to realized outcomes. Mothers accurately anticipate long-run return to work but systematically overestimate how soon it will occur. Miscalibration stems from two belief errors—about partner leave and own labor supply—which interact and persist even among second-time mothers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Ähnliche Treffer
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Literaturhinweis
Can Paternity Leave Reduce the Gender Earnings Gap? (2025)
Zitatform
Diallo, Yaya, Fabian Lange & Laetitia Renée (2025): Can Paternity Leave Reduce the Gender Earnings Gap? (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17624), Bonn, 38 S.
Abstract
"This paper examines the impact of paternity leave on the gender gap in labor market outcomes. Utilizing administrative data from Canadian tax records, we analyze the introduction of Quebec's 2006 paternity leave policy, which offers five weeks of paid leave exclusively to fathers. Using mothers and fathers of children born around the reform, we estimate how the policy impacted labor market outcomes up to 10 years following birth. The reform significantly increased fathers' uptake of parental leave and reduced their earnings immediately after the reform. However, in the medium to long-run, we find that the reform did not impact earnings, employment, or the probability of being employed in a high-wage industry for either parent. We for instance find a 95%-CI for the effect on average female earnings 3-10 years following the reform ranging from -2.2 to +1.7%. Estimates of effects on other outcomes and for males are similarly precise zeros. There is likewise no evidence that the reform changed social norms around care-taking and family responsibilities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
From public to private: the gendered impact of COVID-19 pandemic on work-life balance and work-family balance (2025)
Zitatform
Elhinnawy, Hind, Morag Kennedy & Silvia Gomes (2025): From public to private: the gendered impact of COVID-19 pandemic on work-life balance and work-family balance. In: Community, work & family, Jg. 28, H. 2, S. 291-310. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2023.2265044
Abstract
"This article provides insights into the ways flexible, hybrid and work-from-home arrangements have impacted women during COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK. Based on 10 in-depth interviews with women living and working in the East Midlands, England, who turned to work from home during COVID lockdowns, this study found that despite heightened care needs and the additional burdens women faced during the pandemic, one silver lining was that flexible and hybrid work has positively impacted some. All women spoke about how the pandemic and associated restrictions have altered their conceptualisation of space both positively and negatively. Life during the pandemic gave participants extra care needs and added burdens, but it also gave them more space to be with family and to manage their lives more effectively. This sense of increased space for social and family bonding and life and time management was reduced (again) after the pandemic due to the difficulties women had to bear in balancing the demands of work and family obligations. This article contributes to the studies on the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on women's work-life-balance (WLB) and work-family-balance (WFB),demonstrating the need to think of innovative ways to support women's flexible work in the long term." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Towards more gender equal parental time allocation: Norway, 1980–2010 (2025)
Zitatform
Ellingsæter, Anne Lise & Ragni Hege Kitterød (2025): Towards more gender equal parental time allocation: Norway, 1980–2010. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2521059
Abstract
"Research indicates a converging trend in how mothers and fathers allocate their time across Western societies, leading to a narrowing of gender gaps. Our case study, spanning three decades in the social democratic welfare state of Norway, offers new insights into the long-term processes that might drive these gender convergence trends. Data for this study were drawn from time-use surveys conducted between 1980 and 2010. This exploration of changing time allocation differentiates between mothers and fathers at various stages of parenthood, across different time periods and examines time devoted to work (including paid work, unpaid work, and total workload) as well as non-work (such as leisure and personal needs/rest). The gradual but uneven removal of institutional and cultural constraints – facilitated by the strengthening of egalitarian earner-caregiver policies and norms – was accompanied by significant shifts in how successive Generations of parents allocated their time. Over the decades, mothers’ and fathers’ time allocation became more similar, particularly in the 2000s. Notably, the equalization of time use was especially prominent among parents of preschool-aged children. However, among these parents, the total workload increased, resulting in less leisure time for both mothers and fathers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Paternity leave in Spain (2025)
Zitatform
Farré, Lídia, Libertad González, Claudia Hupkau & Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela (2025): Paternity leave in Spain. In: SERIEs, Jg. 16, H. 3-4, S. 749-784. DOI:10.1007/s13209-025-00320-1
Abstract
"Between 2017 and 2021, Spain progressively extended paternity leave from 2 to 16 weeks, equalizing it with maternity leave and introducing mandatory weeks. A 2018 reform also allowed fathers to split their leave. Using administrative data on all leave permits since 2016, we analyze trends in paternity leave take-up. Following the introduction of mandatory leave, the share of fathers taking leave increased by around 20 percentage points, and most now use nearly the full entitlement. The share opting to split leave has steadily grown, surpassing 50% by 2023. However, this behavior shows marked heterogeneity: While overall uptake is uniform across groups, leave-splitting is far more common among higher-income fathers and more prevalent in certain sectors. Spain’s experience illustrates how policy design can significantly increase paternity leave usage, though workplace flexibility and income-related constraints shape how fathers use that time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
A social class analysis of desire and outcome concerning parental leave among first-time parents in Sweden: theoretical perspectives and reflections on policy relevance (2025)
Zitatform
Flisbäck, Marita (2025): A social class analysis of desire and outcome concerning parental leave among first-time parents in Sweden: theoretical perspectives and reflections on policy relevance. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-20. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2575769
Abstract
"Parenthood is a practice through which both gender and class are created. Drawing on longitudinal qualitative interviews, this article explores how these processes unfold during the initial phase of parenthood. Analyzing Swedish first-time parents' plans and actual outcomes regarding parental leave, three main motivations emerge: promoting gender equality, bonding with their child, and creating a meaningful life. However, parents in blue-collar occupations seem to distance themselves from the rhetoric of Swedish gender equality policy. For them, parental leave is less about equal opportunities in family and work, and more about solidarity and collective responsibility. A further distinction arises between viewing parental leave as a way to enjoy the present and as a future investment – an idea echoed in recent Swedish family policy. These 'social distinctions' contribute to the formation of different existential mottos that shape parental engagement. Moreover, depending on their cultural and economic capital, and their positions within occupational fields, parents develop varying strategies to align the practice with their wishes. In this context, real freedom diverges from statutory rights. The limits of decommodification within the Swedish parental insurance system appear to affect both the most and least in-demand groups in the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Evolution of the Child Penalty and Gender-Related Inequality in the Netherlands, 1989–2022 (2025)
Zitatform
Gan, Renren, Egbert L. W. Jongen, Simon Rabaté & Bo Terpstra (2025): The Evolution of the Child Penalty and Gender-Related Inequality in the Netherlands, 1989–2022. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18158), Bonn, 39 S.
Abstract
"We study the evolution of the child penalty and gender-related inequality in the Netherlands. We use administrative panel data from 1989 to 2022 in an extension of the event study approach used in Kleven et al. (2019b). We document a substantial decline in child penalties (in earnings) for first-time mothers from 60% in the early 1990s to 35% in the 2010s. This decline is much larger than in the handful of other countries documented so far. However, looking at subperiods, we also find that the decline in the child penalty in the Netherlands has stalled in the mid 2000s, despite a steep rise in spending on formal childcare. Next, we decompose the gender-related inequality for parents into inequality related to children, education, migration background and a residual. We find that overall gender-related inequality and child-related gender inequality decline in parallel over time. The role of education and migration background is small and becomes less important over time. Hence, a substantial residual remains, and cannot be attributed to the aforementioned factors. We also show that the event-time window used is crucial for the contribution of the child penalty to the evolution of gender inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Perceived fairness and legitimacy of parental workplace discrimination (2025)
Zitatform
Gerich, Joachim & Martina Beham-Rabanser (2025): Perceived fairness and legitimacy of parental workplace discrimination. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-27. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2453175
Abstract
"Parental discrimination has been shown to be related to several risks, including impaired health, increased job stress, and decreased job satisfaction, which calls for increased awareness of parental discrimination. This paper analyzes fairness and legitimacy judgments of unequal treatment based on parental status at work and the antecedents that influence these judgments. Stereotypes of symbolic vilification that suggest lower commitment due to caring responsibilities, and symbolic amplification, which refers to rational economic organizational needs, are expected to rationalize discrimination. Moreover, we expect specific values and ideologies to be related to judgments of fairness and legitimacy, mediated by resonance with symbolic vilification and amplification. Analyses are based on survey data from a sample of employees aged between 20 and 45 years (n = 376). Respondents' evaluations of parental discrimination were measured using two fictional cases. The results suggest that greater acceptance of vilifying and amplifying justifications is triggered by a stronger preference for the ideal worker norm and traditional gender role expectations. Women tend to view discrimination as more unfair and illegitimate than men, while men's judgments are more strongly driven by economic reasoning." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Breadwinners and caregivers: Examining the global relationship between gender norms and economic behavior (2025)
Zitatform
Goldstein, Markus, Paula Gonzalez, Talip Kilic, Sreelakshmi Papineni & Philip Wollburg (2025): Breadwinners and caregivers: Examining the global relationship between gender norms and economic behavior. In: Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Jg. 72, H. 2, S. e12406. DOI:10.1111/sjpe.12406
Abstract
"Gender norms are often emphasized to help explain gender gaps in the labor market. We examine global patterns of gender attitudes and norms toward the stereotypical gender roles of the male breadwinner and female caregiver , and broad support for gender equality in opportunities , and study their relationship with economic behavior. Using data collected via Facebook from 150,000 individuals across 111 countries the paper explores how gender beliefs and norms are related to labor supply, household production, and intra-household decision-making power within a country. We provide descriptive evidence that the more gender equitable or counter-stereotypical are beliefs and norms, the more likely women are to work, the more time men spend on household chores, and the higher the likelihood of joint decision-making among married couples. Our findings suggest an underestimation of the support for gender equality globally and the extent of underestimation varies by gender and region. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential entry points for policy to help address gender norms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Women's labor market opportunities and equality in the household (2025)
Zitatform
Grönqvist, Erik, Yoko Okuyama, Lena Hensvik & Anna Thoresson (2025): Women's labor market opportunities and equality in the household. (Working papers / Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy 2025,11), Uppsala, 57 S.
Abstract
"We study how changes in couples’ relative wages affect the division of childcare.Using a nationwide wage reform that raised pay in the female-dominated teaching profession, we find that closing 25% of the earnings gap between female teachers and their male spouses led to a 12% reduction in the childcare time gap. This result holds when we extend the analysis to major pay raises for women at the population level. Data support the mechanism that women reduce their childcare time when the spouse can step in by working more from home. Policies that address female pay can foster household equality if men have access to flexible work arrangements." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Winning the Bread and Baking it Too: Gendered Frictions in the Allocation of Home Production (2025)
Zitatform
Hancock, Kyle, Jeanne Lafortune & Corinne Low (2025): Winning the Bread and Baking it Too: Gendered Frictions in the Allocation of Home Production. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 33393), Cambridge, Mass, 66 S.
Abstract
"We document that female breadwinners do more home production than their male partners, driven by “housework” like cooking and cleaning. By comparing to same sex couples, we highlight that specialization within heterosexual households does not appear to be “gender neutral ” even after accounting for average earnings differences. One possible explanation would be a large comparative advantage in housework by women, a supposition commonly used to match aggregate labor supply statistics. Using a model, we show that while comparative advantage can match some stylized facts about how couples divide housework, it fails to match others, particularly that men's housework time is inelastic to relative household wages. Matching these facts requires some gendered wedge between the opportunity cost of housework time and its assignment within the household. We then turn to the implications for household formation. Gendered rigidities in the allocation of household tasks result in lower surplus for couples where women out-earn men than vice versa, providing a micro-founded reason for substantial literature showing that lower relative earning by men decreases marriage rates. We show that our mechanism —allocation of housework, rather than norms about earnings—plays a role by relating marriage rates to the ratio of home production time in US immigrants' countries of origin." (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
Strukturwandel am Arbeitsmarkt durch die ökologische Transformation - Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse auf dem Arbeitsmarkt: Expertise für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung (2025)
Zitatform
Hohendanner, Christian, Markus Janser & Florian Lehmer (2025): Strukturwandel am Arbeitsmarkt durch die ökologische Transformation - Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Expertise für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung. Berlin, 94 S.
Abstract
"Die vorliegende Expertise untersucht erstmals quantitativ die strukturellen Veränderungen des Arbeitsmarktes in Deutschland im Hinblick auf geschlechtsbezogene Aspekte, die im Zuge der ökologischen Transformation entstehen. Wir verwenden hierfür einen Tasks-basierten Ansatz zur Identifikation der betroffenen Akteur*innen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Dazu werden der Greenness-of-Jobs Index (GOJI) (Janser 2019, 2024), das IAB-Berufepanel (Version 2012-2022, inkl. GOJI) sowie deskriptive Statistiken auf Basis des IAB-Betriebspanels herangezogen. Das IAB-Berufepanel wie die Auswertungen des IAB-Betriebspanels sind auf der Homepage des IAB öffentlich zugänglich und können für weitere Analysen genutzt werden. Zusätzlich werden Maßnahmen diskutiert, die helfen könnten, mögliche Ungleichheiten in der ökologischen Transformation abzufedern und zu überwinden. Ziel der Expertise ist es, den Sachverständigen für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht eine fundierte empirische Grundlage zu den Veränderungen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt und deren potenziellen Folgen für Geschlechterverhältnisse durch die ökologische Transformation zu liefern. Die Expertise zeigt auf, inwiefern Frauen und Männer gleichermaßen oder unterschiedlich von den Entwicklungen des Arbeitsmarktes profitieren bzw. betroffen sind. Es wird dargestellt, in welchen Branchen und Berufen sich Tätigkeitsfelder verändert haben und neue Beschäftigungsverhältnisse entstanden bzw. weggefallen sind – jeweils mit besonderem Fokus auf die Unterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern. Vor dem Hintergrund aller zusammengetragenen Erkenntnisse wird abschließend diskutiert, inwiefern die bisherigen Ergebnisse darauf hindeuten, dass sich geschlechtsbezogene Unterschiede bzw. Ungleichheiten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt in der ökologischen Transformation eher angleichen oder weiter auseinanderentwickeln." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
The balancing and conflict between work and family life of sandwiched caregivers: A scoping review (2025)
Zitatform
Honda, Ayumi, Mayo Ono, Takahiro Nishida & Sumihisa Honda (2025): The balancing and conflict between work and family life of sandwiched caregivers: A scoping review. In: Safety and Health at Work, Jg. 16, H. 2, S. 156-163. DOI:10.1016/j.shaw.2025.04.004
Abstract
"The aim of this scoping review was to advance our understanding of the balancing and conflict between work and family life experienced by sandwiched caregivers. Five online databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library) were systematically searched between 20 Apr 2024 to 11 July 2024 for articles written in English and published between 1999 and July 2024, focused on the impact factors on work–family life balance and/or conflict of sandwiched caregivers. These database searches identified 58 citations, which results in 46 unique articles following the removal of duplicates. Title and abstract screening were identified for full-text review, twenty of these were excluded at full-text review, and leaving 13 articles for inclusion. We identified and categorized into three key themes: (1) Conflicts between work and family life and (2) Impact of conflicts between work and family life on psychological well-being and (3) Coping for conflicts between work and family life. The literature reviews suggested that the balancing and conflict between work and family life were associated with work hours, flexibilities in work and workplace, and partner support in the sandwiched caregivers. Especially, flexible work arrangements and maintaining social connection were the stress coping strategies for balancing of work and family life. In an aging society, building a truly supportive and flexible workplace culture, along with increasing and utilizing formal care services for child-rearing and aged care, is more effective in promoting the well-being of sandwiched caregivers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institute, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Women's educational advantage and the gendered division of housework: Couples in France, Germany, Italy and the UK (2025)
Zitatform
Hook, Jennifer & Tiziana Nazio (2025): Women's educational advantage and the gendered division of housework: Couples in France, Germany, Italy and the UK. In: Journal of Family Research, Jg. 37, S. 81-97. DOI:10.20377/jfr-1168
Abstract
"Objective: This study explores how women's increased educational advantage is associated with gender (in)equality in housework across four different European cultural and institutional contexts. Background: The rising gender gap in educational attainment - favoring women - across rich nations increased educationally hypogamous couples (where her attainment is greater than his). Several theories suggest this might equalize the division of housework by women's relative and absolute level of educational attainment. Method: Couple-level time diary data from the harmonized Multinational Time Use Study (MTUS-X and MTUS) and national time use surveys for opposite-sex couples in France 1985 and 2009, Italy 1989 and 2013, Germany 1991 and 2013, and the UK 1983 and 2014 are used to examine the relationship between women's absolute and relative educational attainment and housework. Results: Women's (and men's) own educational attainment, rather than hypogamy, is strongly associated with lower time spent on housework by women and higher by men, primarily in contexts with more traditional gender roles where housework is more unequally distributed, like in Italy and France in the 2010s, and all examined countries in the 1980s. Conclusion: Results are most consistent with a diffusion perspective, but also suggest the limitations of women's rising educational attainment alone in spurring greater equality in housework." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Parental Leave, Worker Substitutability, and Firms' Employment (2025)
Zitatform
Huebener, Mathias, Jonas Jessen, Daniel Kühnle & Michael Oberfichtner (2025): Parental Leave, Worker Substitutability, and Firms' Employment. In: The Economic Journal, Jg. 135, H. 669, S. 1467-1495., 2024-12-06. DOI:10.1093/ej/ueae114
Abstract
"Motherhood and parental leave are frequent causes of worker absences and employment interruptions, yet little is known about their effects on firms. Based on linked employer-employee data from Germany, we examine how parental leave absences affect small-and medium-sized firms. We show that they anticipate the absence with replacement hirings in the six months before childbirth. A 2007 parental leave reform extending leave absences reduces firm-level employment and total wages up to three years after childbirth, driven by firms with few internal substitutes for the absent mother. However, we do not find longer-term effects on firms’ employment, wage bill, or likelihood to shut down. The reform led to an increase in replacement hirings, but firms did not respond to longer expected absences of mothers by subsequently hiring fewer young women. Overall, our findings show that anticipated, extended parental leave does not have a lasting impact on firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Oxford University Press) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Employment status and entry into parenthood: Weaker labor market status an unlikely driver of cohort fertility decline in a Nordic welfare state (2025)
Zitatform
Jalovaara, Marika, Leen Rahnu & Anneli Miettinen (2025): Employment status and entry into parenthood: Weaker labor market status an unlikely driver of cohort fertility decline in a Nordic welfare state. In: Acta sociologica, S. 1-18. DOI:10.1177/00016993251403380
Abstract
"Previous studies in the Nordic context have found a positive association between stronger labor market attachment and entry into parenthood (i.e. first birth), with the association being stronger for men than women and influenced by educational attainment and life-course stage. Using total population register data and event history methods, this study asks whether and how the relationship between employment status and entry into parenthood has changed for women and men born in Finland in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. We first examine how the employment situations in which women and men make decisions about entering parenthood have changed across cohorts. Our results indicate that episodes of unemployment have not increased across cohorts of women and men who are (still) childless. At the same time, young adults are increasingly combining studies and paid employment. Stable employment promotes entry into parenthood for both men and women, although the association remains stronger for men. Sufficient economic resources to start a family may have become even more important in recent cohorts, as the negative association between longer-term unemployment and transition to parenthood appears to have intensified. We also observe a cohort trend toward delayed or foregone entry into parenthood occurring regardless of labor market status. To conclude, although weak labor market status is associated with lower first-birth rates, it is unlikely to be a major driver of the cohort fertility decline, as we observe no deterioration in young adults’ labor market status and only modest changes in its association with entry into parenthood." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Multidimensional gender ideologies: How do they relate to work-family arrangements of mothers with dependent children in Poland and western Germany? (2025)
Zitatform
Joecks, Jasmin, Anna Kurowska, Kerstin Pull & Pia Schober (2025): Multidimensional gender ideologies: How do they relate to work-family arrangements of mothers with dependent children in Poland and western Germany? In: International Journal of Comparative Sociology, Jg. 66, H. 4, S. 633-659. DOI:10.1177/00207152241293463
Abstract
"This study uses a multidimensional approach to identify gender ideologies and investigate their association with work-family arrangements among mothers of dependent children in Poland and western Germany. Based on data from the Generations and Gender Survey, we apply ordinal latent class analysis and identify five gender ideology classes: (1) traditional, (2) intensive parenting, (3) ambivalent, (4) moderately egalitarian, and (5) strongly egalitarian. In both countries, we find that the intensive parenting class resembles the traditional class in terms of lower maternal employment, a more gendered division of housework and childcare, and a smaller probability of using formal childcare, whereas the ambivalent respondents mostly practice work-care arrangements that are similar to the moderately egalitarian class. With respect to informal care, mothers who identify with strong egalitarianism significantly differ from the traditional class in western Germany, but they do not in Poland—thus highlighting the role of the cultural and institutional context in explaining the complex links between mothers’ gender ideologies and work-family arrangements." (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
Work Meaning and the Flexibility Puzzle (2025)
Zitatform
Kesternich, Iris & Thimo De Schouwer (2025): Work Meaning and the Flexibility Puzzle. In: Journal of labor economics. DOI:10.1086/739081
Abstract
"We study heterogeneity in the prevalence of and preferences for workplace flexibility and work meaning. We show that, internationally, women and parents value flexibility more but do not work more flexible jobs. The gender dimension of this flexibility puzzle is related to differences in meaningful work, which women value higher and sort into, at a significant price corresponding to 20 to 70% less flexibility. The parental dimension is connected to preferences for meaning and flexibility diverging after childbirth. We show through counterfactuals that making meaningful jobs more flexible reduces the gender gap in total compensation by almost a quarter." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
When Gender Kicks in: an Experimental Study of Work from Home and Attitudes to Household Work and Childcare (2025)
Zitatform
Kotsadam, Andreas, Mette Løvgren, Nicolas Moreau, Elena Stancanelli & Arthur van Soest (2025): When Gender Kicks in: an Experimental Study of Work from Home and Attitudes to Household Work and Childcare. (Paris-Jourdan Science Economiques. Working paper 2025-45), Paris, 39 S.
Abstract
"We study how working from home links to gendered attitudes about household work and childcare. Using a vignette experiment embedded in a regular Dutch population representative survey, we randomly vary the gender of the partner working from home in a hypothetical dualearner couple. When presented with various routine and emergency chores, respondents, on average, agree that the partner working from home should execute them, and the extent of agreement is significantly larger when the vignette randomly depicts a man, rather than a woman, working from home. These differences in respondents’gendered expectations around performing chores are not statistically significant in the baseline scenario where no partner works from home. All in all, the evidence gathered indicates that Work from Home may blast rather than boost gender norms around household work and childcare." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How Do Parents Share Childcare That Interferes With Paid Work? Work Arrangements, Flexible Working, and Childcare (2025)
Zitatform
Kuang, Bernice, Brienna Perelli-Harris & Ann Berrington (2025): How Do Parents Share Childcare That Interferes With Paid Work? Work Arrangements, Flexible Working, and Childcare. In: Journal of Marriage and Family, Jg. 87, H. 5, S. 1947-1962. DOI:10.1111/jomf.13112
Abstract
"Objective: This study examines how mothers and fathers divide childcare tasks that interfere with paid work and whether there is an association with patterns of work and access to work flexibility. Background: Childcare encompasses a range of diverse tasks, yet is persistently gendered, with women doing more than men, regardless of work arrangements. Flexible working can exacerbate childcare inequalities among working couples, but less is known about how flexible working is associated with the gender division of childcare tasks that directly interfere with the workday. Method: We used the UK Generations and Gender Survey (2022–23), a stratified national probability sample, to study heterosexual couples with children under the age of 12 (n = 1152). Using logistic regression, we analyze the gender division of specific childcare tasks and associations with work arrangements (i.e., dual earner, male/female breadwinner, and less than full-time work) and work flexibility (i.e., doing work from home and access to flexible hours). Results: Childcare tasks that interfere with the workday (i.e., staying home with ill children, getting children dressed, dropping children off at school or childcare) are particularly gendered. Fathers working from home or having access to flexible hours were associated with a higher likelihood of equally sharing these tasks; the same relationship was not found for mothers. Conclusion: Fathers' access to and use of flexible working may help to address one persistent form of gender inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
When Working From Home Fails to Support Work–Life Balance: The Role of Childcare- and Work-Related Demands (2025)
Zitatform
Kurowska, Anna, Agnieszka Kasperska & Gayle Kaufman (2025): When Working From Home Fails to Support Work–Life Balance: The Role of Childcare- and Work-Related Demands. In: Journal of Family Issues, Jg. 46, H. 11, S. 1664-1692. DOI:10.1177/0192513x251356260
Abstract
"The new normal of working from home (WFH) brought by the COVID-19 pandemic enabled parents to manage increased childcare demands while working remotely. Using multi-country data from the Familydemic Harmonized Dataset (n = 9364), this study examines how WFH was related to perceived changes in work–life balance (WLB) among mothers and fathers, considering the moderating role of childcare- and work-related demands. Overall, WFH was positively associated with improved WLB, regardless of partnership status. However, this relationship weakened for mothers whose children were out of formal childcare for over a month and when they increased their working hours. Furthermore, we found that fathers who extended their working hours while WFH were more likely to report worsened WLB than those working in the office. These findings, though based on mid-2021 data, remain relevant post-pandemic as parents continue to navigate the challenges of WFH, childcare, and demanding work schedules." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Spannungsfeld Vereinbarkeit: Arbeitsaufteilung, Geschlechterrollen und Aushandlungen im Paarkontext (2025)
Kümmerling, Angelika; Zink, Lina; Jansen, Andreas;Zitatform
Kümmerling, Angelika, Lina Zink & Andreas Jansen (2025): Spannungsfeld Vereinbarkeit. Arbeitsaufteilung, Geschlechterrollen und Aushandlungen im Paarkontext. Gütersloh, 67 S. DOI:10.11586/2025005
Abstract
"Im Fokus der Studie des zweiten Teils der Reihe "Spannungsfeld Vereinbarkeit“ stehen die Arbeitsaufteilung, Geschlechterrollen und Aushandlungen zwischen Frauen und Männern in heterosexuellen Paarbeziehungen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine stark verzerrte unterschiedliche Wahrnehmung über die Zuständigkeiten im Haushalt. Die ungleiche Verteilung der Haus- und Sorgearbeit und traditionelle Rollenbilder sind weiterhin ein Hemmnis für eine stärkere Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Telecommuting and division of domestic work: the role of gender role attitudes in Germany (2025)
Zitatform
Leshchenko, Olga & Heejung Chung (2025): Telecommuting and division of domestic work: the role of gender role attitudes in Germany. In: European Sociological Review, S. 1-16. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcaf046
Abstract
"Telecommuting is often portrayed as a work-life balance measure. Though, in theory, telecommuting can provide workers with more time for leisure and family, due to the boundary blurring between work and life spheres, it can exacerbate gender inequalities by pushing women to carry out more domestic work while increasing men’s time in paid work. Empirically, the evidenceis mixed. We extend the debate by exploring how individuals’ gender role attitudes (GRA) moderate the relationship between telecommuting and the division of domestic work. We apply hybrid models to the German Family Panel data. The data covers the timespan from 2008 to 2021, which includes the unique COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that GRA matter. When getting access to telecommuting, egalitarian men increased their contribution to childcare, while traditional men did not. Similarly, telecommuting traditional women increased their childcare contribution. The pattern remained the same during the expansion of telecommuting due to the COVID-19 pandemic: only telecommuting traditional women and telecommuting egalitarian men increased their childcare contribution. The results of this study suggest that telecommuting has the potential to serve as a ‘great equaliser’. However, achieving this requires actively promoting more egalitarian views on gender roles." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Flexible working time arrangements and work-life conflict: The role of gender and housework (2025)
Zitatform
Leshchenko, Olga & Susanne Strauss (2025): Flexible working time arrangements and work-life conflict: The role of gender and housework. In: Journal of Family Research, Jg. 37, S. 205-226. DOI:10.20377/jfr-1186
Abstract
"Fragestellung:In diesem Artikel untersuchen wir, wie die Beziehung zwischen flexiblen Arbeitszeitarrangements und dem Konflikt zwischen Erwerbsarbeit und Privatleben (work–to–life conflict) sowie zwischen Privatleben und Erwerbsarbeit (life–to–work conflict) durch eine (un)gleiche Aufteilung der Hausarbeit bei heterosexuellen Paaren moderiert wird.Hintergrund:Flexible Arbeitszeitarrangements können Arbeitnehmer/innen mehr Autonomie bei der Balance zwischen Erwerbsarbeit und Privatleben ermöglichen. Bisherige Studien haben jedoch gezeigt, dass diese Flexibilität auf geschlechtsspezifische Weise genutzt wird: Während Frauen mit flexiblen Arbeitszeitarrangements mehr Zeit für die Hausarbeit aufwenden, erhöhen Männer ihre Erwerbsarbeitszeit. Unser Artikel baut auf diesen Befunden auf und untersucht, wie die Heterogenität in der Aufteilung der Hausarbeit in Paarhaushalten die Beziehung zwischen flexiblen Arbeitszeitregelungen und Konflikten zwischen Erwerbsarbeit und Privatleben moderiert.Methode:Die Analysen basieren auf dem Deutschen Familienpanel (pairfam), Welle 12 (2019-2020) und umfassen 2.032 erwerbstätige Personen in einer Partnerschaft (1.162 Frauen und 870 Männer). Die multivariaten Analysen basieren auf linearen Regressionsmodellen.Ergebnisse:Vom Unternehmen festgelegte und autonome Arbeitszeitmodelle sind mit größeren Konflikten zwischen Erwerbsarbeit und Privatleben (work–to–life conflict) verbunden, insbesondere bei Männern, während Frauen mit vollständiger Kontrolle über ihre Arbeitszeiten seltener über Konflikte berichten. Das Ausmaß des Konflikts zwischen Privatleben und Erwerbsarbeit (life–to–work conflict) ist bei den verschiedenen Arbeitszeitmodellen ähnlich, mit Ausnahme von Frauen mit Gleitzeit, die öfter über einen Konflikt berichteten. Die Einbindung in die Hausarbeit spielt insofern eine Rolle als Frauen, die den Großteil der Hausarbeit übernehmen, bei flexiblen Arbeitszeitarrangements mit größeren Konflikten zwischen Privatleben und Erwerbsarbeit (life–to–work conflict) konfrontiert sind. Männer mit unternehmensdefinierten Arbeitszeitarrangements berichten hingegen häufiger über Konflikte in beide Richtungen (also work–to–life conflict sowie life–to–work conflict), wenn sie sich die Hausarbeit gleichberechtigt mit ihrer Partnerin teilen.Schlussfolgerung:Der Zugang zu flexiblen Arbeitszeitarrangements allein verringert die Konflikte zwischen Erwerbsarbeit und Privatleben nicht unbedingt, da die Auswirkungen sowohl vom Geschlecht als auch von der Hausarbeitsverteilung im Paarhaushalt abhängen" (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Paid family leave and occupational mobility (2025)
Zitatform
Liu, Andrew Yizhou (2025): Paid family leave and occupational mobility. In: Applied Economics, S. 1-12. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2025.2526858
Abstract
"Paid family leave (PFL) programmes provide temporary financial support and workplace flexibility for mothers, potentially influencing their occupational choices after childbirth. I find that state-level PFL programs reduce downward occupational mobility among women aged 19 to 35 with children aged 0 to 3 by approximately 42%, with stronger effects among high-school educated, black, and single mothers. However, these policies have no significant impact on upward occupational mobility, indicating that PFL alone may be insufficient for reducing the gender gap in occupation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Alles beim Alten: Der Gender Care Gap in der Erwerbsbevölkerung (2025)
Zitatform
Lott, Yvonne (2025): Alles beim Alten: Der Gender Care Gap in der Erwerbsbevölkerung. In: Theorie und Praxis der sozialen Arbeit, Jg. 76, H. 1, S. 39-53. DOI:10.3262/tup2501039
Abstract
"Beim Gender Care Gap, der Verteilung von unbezahlter Arbeit zwischen erwerbstätigen Frauen und Männern, bleibt die Lage unverändert: Erwerbstätige Frauen leisten nach wie vor den größten Teil an Kinderbetreuung, Pflege und Hausarbeit. Im Durchschnitt arbeiten sie eine Stunde pro Woche mehr als Männer. Eine Sonderauswertung der Zeitverwendungserhebung 2022 für Deutschland bestätigt dies, so Yvonne Lott. Die Corona-Pandemie wurde oft als Chance gesehen, die unbezahlte Arbeit gerechter zu verteilen, da beide Partner häufig zuhause waren. Tatsächlich engagierten sich während der Pandemie nicht nur Mütter, sondern auch Väter stärker in der Kinderbetreuung. Vor allem zu Beginn der Pandemie gab es positive Erfahrungen engagierter Väter. Dennoch zeigte sich schnell, dass diese Veränderungen nicht dauerhaft waren. Die Sonderauswertung für die Erwerbstätigen bezieht sich auf alle Personen, die tatsächlich erwerbstätig waren. Dies schließt Selbstständige, Angestellte und andere Erwerbstätige im Alter von 18 bis 64 Jahren ein. Unbezahlte Arbeit umfasst Aktivitäten wie Hausarbeit, Kinderbetreuung und Unterstützung von Haushaltsmitgliedern. Die Zeitverwendungserhebung wird jährlich durchgeführt und erfasst, wie viel Zeit die Menschen für verschiedene Aktivitäten aufwenden, indem sie Tagebuch führen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass erwerbstätige Frauen im Durchschnitt fast eine Stunde mehr pro Woche arbeiten (54 Stunden) als Männer (53 Stunden). Frauen investieren mehr Zeit in unbezahlte Arbeit (über 25 Stunden pro Woche) als Männer (etwa 8 Stunden weniger als Frauen) und in bezahlte Arbeit (ungefähr 28 Stunden), was hauptsächlich auf Unterschiede bei Teilzeitbeschäftigten zurückzuführen ist." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
The Balancing Act of Working Mothers and Caring Fathers: Impact of Family Policy on Egalitarianism in Families in Western Democracies (2025)
Zitatform
Lütolf, Meret (2025): The Balancing Act of Working Mothers and Caring Fathers. Impact of Family Policy on Egalitarianism in Families in Western Democracies. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 220 S. DOI:10.1007/978-3-658-47716-5
Abstract
"This Open-Access-book explores how egalitarian parental leave policies can support a more balanced division of paid work and caregiving. Introducing a novel analysis grid and a unique dataset, Meret Lütolf examines parental leave policies in five countries – United States, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and Sweden – revealing how fully paid, non-transferable leave can promote gender-neutral caregiving roles. Key findings highlight the connection between longer paternal leave and a more equal distribution of unpaid work, along with fathers’ willingness to reduce paid work hours in favor of caregiving. By combining multiple research methods, the study links policy intentions with real-life outcomes and identifies feasible reforms, including full wage replacement, that can enhance egalitarianism without raising policy costs. Offering valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and advocates, this book demonstrates how parental leave policies can contribute to more equal family dynamics and address broader gender inequalities in society." (Publisher information, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Unpaid Working Time and Disproportionate Female Hazard: an Intersectionality Perspective (2025)
Zitatform
Manicardi, Caterina & Maria Enrica Virgillito (2025): Unpaid Working Time and Disproportionate Female Hazard: an Intersectionality Perspective. (LEM working paper series / Laboratory of Economics and Management 2025/01), Pisa, 36 S. DOI:10.57838/sssa/0v9f-0384
Abstract
"How has the distribution of unpaid working time between men and women evolved over the last twenty years? Does unpaid working time still disproportionately affect women, more than fifty years after the massive entry of the female labor force into formal employment? And, if so, which market and non-market factors drive this stratification and could possibly facilitate the transition out of an unequal intrahousehold division of labor? This paper leverages the most complete dataset collecting individual time diaries, the ATUS-CPS 2003-2022, to investigate the role of market variables such as real wages, household income, industry and occupation vis-a -vis non-market factors such as gender, race, household type and state of residence in explaining variations in unpaid time allocation. By exploiting both the cross-sectional and panel dimensions of the dataset, we provide novel evidence on individual time allocation and its gendered distribution, integrating an intersectional perspective that looks at the role of income classes and socio-material conditions in affecting the likelihood of escaping disproportionate exposure to unpaid work. Our results indicate that, despite clear class-based patterns, belonging to the upper income class is not enough for women to escape disproportionate burdens." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Masculinity Norms and Their Economic Consequences (2025)
Zitatform
Matavelli, Ieda, Pauline Grosjean, Ralph De Haas & Victoria Baranov (2025): Masculinity Norms and Their Economic Consequences. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20549), London, 37 S., Anhang.
Abstract
"While economists have extensively studied gender norms affecting women, masculinity norms — the informal rules that guide and constrain the behaviors of boys and men — remain underexplored. This review first examines how other disciplines have studied masculinity, providing economists with conceptual foundations and empirical patterns for understanding masculinity norms. We then discuss how the study of masculinity norms can inform the economics literature on gender gaps and men's outcomes across multiple domains: health behavior, labor supply and occupational choice, violence and aggression, and political preferences. We also discuss the paths for transmission and persistence of masculinity norms. Finally, using novel survey data from 70 countries, we present five stylized facts about masculinity norms. We document substantial global variation in these norms and demonstrate their predictive power for various socioeconomic and political Outcomes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Role of Working-From-Home for Maternal Employment Re-Entry after Childbirth (2025)
Zitatform
Matysiak, Anna, Beata Osiewalska & Anna Kurowska (2025): The Role of Working-From-Home for Maternal Employment Re-Entry after Childbirth. (Working papers / Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw 2025-18), Warsaw, 43 S.
Abstract
"This study investigates how work-from-home (WFH) —by mothers and their male partners—shapes maternal employment re-entry after childbirth. Drawing on Conservation of Resources and Boundary Management theories, the study distinguishes between WFH access and regular use. It hypothesizes that regular WFH use by mothers and their partners supports earlier and full-time maternal return to paid work, particularly among second-time mothers. The UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009–2019) is used to estimate discrete-time hazard models of return to paid work after first and second births, distinguishing between full-time and part-time re-entry. Among first-time mothers, both WFH access and regular use are associated with a greater likelihood of full-time re-entry, though not with overall return. Among second-time mothers, regular pre-birth WFH use significantly increases the likelihood of returning to paid work—regardless of hours—whereas access alone does not. No significant associations are found between male partners' WFH and maternal employment outcomes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Impact of Neighbour, Colleague, and Family Peers on Parental Labour Supply (2025)
Zitatform
Meekes, Jordy & Max van Lent (2025): The Impact of Neighbour, Colleague, and Family Peers on Parental Labour Supply. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18148), Bonn, 47 S.
Abstract
"Child penalties in paid working hours are persistent and widen the gender earnings gap. This paper studies an important mechanism through which working hours are affected: peer effects. Using three unique layers of peer networks: neighbours, colleagues, and family, we analyse peer effects on individuals' paid working hours. We analyse peer effects up to six years after childbirth on individuals who become first-time parents in the period 2014-2018, using Dutch full-population administrative monthly microdata up to September 2024. The identification strategy exploits exogenous variation in peers' working hours through peers-of-peers. Our research is the first to establish long-term statistically significant peer effects on fathers' working hours. The results indicate positive peer effects on fathers and mothers, where colleague peers are more important than neighbour peers and family peers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gender Equality Through Marriage (2025)
Zitatform
Moroni, Gloria, Cheti Nicoletti, Kjell G. Salvanes & Emma Tominey (2025): Gender Equality Through Marriage. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18288), Bonn, 40 S., App.
Abstract
"We revisit the economic effects of marriage, analysing its heterogeneous impact on the intra-household labour division following childbirth. Can marriage promote coordination of work and child activities between parents and a gender egalitarian division of labour? Using a marginal treatment effect framework, we find the average effect of marriage is to increase parental specialization and worsen the mother's child penalty. However, we find differences across couples with varying resistance to marriage. While traditional couples (low-resistance) exhibit increased specialization; in modern couples (high-resistance) fathers have an earnings penalty and take more paternity leave, suggesting more coordination and gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Ähnliche Treffer
auch erschienen als: Discussion Paper Series in Economics, 20/2025 -
Literaturhinweis
Unpaid care in the EU (2025)
Zitatform
Nivakoski, Sanna & Marianna Baggio (2025): Unpaid care in the EU. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Dublin, 80 S. DOI:10.2806/5774709
Abstract
"As countries face increasing pressure when it comes to providing care services, unpaid caregivers make an invaluable contribution. Care is needed at all ages of life, particularly when individuals face health issues or disabilities. The majority of care is provided within families, without financial compensation. This report investigates the situation of unpaid carers, focusing on their characteristics and the type of care and support they provide. It also looks at their time-use patterns, their well-being and the challenges they encounter. The report analyses how unpaid caregivers are defined across the EU and examines national-level policies aimed at supporting them. While the analysis covers all unpaid carers, including those providing childcare and long-term care, a specific focus is placed on two groups: young caregivers and those providing multiple types of unpaid care." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The gendered division of paid labour among families of children with disabilities: a comparative approach (2025)
Noa, Israeli; Dafna, Gelbgiser; Haya, Stier;Zitatform
Noa, Israeli, Gelbgiser Dafna & Stier Haya (2025): The gendered division of paid labour among families of children with disabilities: a comparative approach. In: European Societies, S. 1-45. DOI:10.1162/euso.a.83
Abstract
"Having a child with a disability intensifies work-family conflict due to the additional caregiving demands. Prior research suggests that this conflict reinforces more traditional patterns of labour division in families of children with disabilities (FOCD), contributing to a well-documented ‘disability penalty’, where mothers' relative contribution to paid labour is lower in FOCD than in other families. Yet, it remains unclear whether and how the disability penalty is shaped by family and FOCD-specific policies. We shed light on this association by analysing data from the 2021 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC) data from four European countries that differ in their family policies frameworks: Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland. Our findings suggest that the interplay of family policies and prevailing gender norms may shape the extent of the disability penalty, with crossnational variations in the differences between FOCD and non-FOCD in their gendered division of paid labour. A significant disability penalty is observed only in Poland, a country marked by minimal, means-tested support for FOCD alongside expectations of full-time employment for both parents. In contrast, in Finland, Spain, and the Netherlands, the disability penalty is either negligible or statistically non-significant. These results highlight the importance of a comparative perspective in understanding the disability penalty and highlights the role of family policies in shaping labour market outcomes for FOCD. Findings offer valuable insights for policymakers addressing the challenges faced by FOCD across Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The flexibility paradox and spatial-temporal dimensions of COVID-19 remote work adaptation among dual-earner mothers and fathers (2025)
Zitatform
Parry, Ashley (2025): The flexibility paradox and spatial-temporal dimensions of COVID-19 remote work adaptation among dual-earner mothers and fathers. In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 32, H. 1, S. 15-36. DOI:10.1111/gwao.13130
Abstract
"There is an increased blurring of work and home life in contemporary society due to access to technology and the mass expansion of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Flexible working arrangements like remote work can lead to men self-exploiting themselves in the workplace and women self-exploiting themselves in the domestic sphere in the context of a work-centric society that is reliant upon passion at work and traditional gender norms. This study extends Chung's ideas on gendered patterns in the flexibility paradox by examining spatial-temporal dimensions of COVID-19 remote work adaptation among an extreme sample: dual-earner parents with young children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on Zoom with 20 mothers and 17 fathers working from home in the U.S. with children ages 5 and under between the summer of 2020 and the spring of 2021. Findings indicate that fathers' work is prioritized in spatio-temporal terms whereas mothers' work is fragmented and dispersed. Gendered patterns in the flexibility paradox and labor shouldered by mothers as primary caregivers are considered as potential theoretical explanations for the privileging of fathers' workspace and work time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Paternity leave-taking and US Fathers’ participation in housework (2025)
Zitatform
Petts, Richard J., Daniel L. Carlson & Chris Knoester (2025): Paternity leave-taking and US Fathers’ participation in housework. In: Journal of Social Policy, S. 1-24. DOI:10.1017/s0047279425100901
Abstract
"Paternity leave may promote greater gender equality in domestic labor. Though numerous studies show that paternity leave promotes greater fathers ’ involvement in childcare, less is known about whether paternity leave-taking may facilitate fathers’ involvement in other forms of domestic labor such as housework. Using repeated cross-sectional data on different-gender partnered US parents from the Study on Parents’ Divisions of Labor During COVID-19 (SPDLC), this study examines the extent to which paternity leave-taking and length of paternity leave are associated with US fathers’ shares of, and time spent on, housework. Findings suggest that paternity leave-taking is positively associated with fathers’ shares of, and time spent on, housework tasks. Longer paternity leaves are also associated with fathers performing greater shares of housework. Overall, this study indicates that the benefits of paternity leave likely extend to fathers’ greater participation in housework, providing additional support for the belief that increased use of paternity leave may help to promote gender equality in domestic labor." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The gendered division of housework in times of Covid-19: the role of essential worker status and work location (2025)
Zitatform
Piolatto, Matteo, Marija Bashevska, Olga Leshchenko, Chantal Remery & Susanne Strauss (2025): The gendered division of housework in times of Covid-19: the role of essential worker status and work location. In: Journal of family studies, S. 1-20. DOI:10.1080/13229400.2025.2526468
Abstract
"The question whether the measures taken to curb the spread of Covid-19 exacerbated or reduced gender inequality with respect to the division of housework and childcare has initiated a large number of studies. This study adds to this field by investigating the role of an until now underexposed yet important element in the literature on the pandemic, which is the assignment of an essential worker status for one or two partners of a couple. Drawing on resource theory, we formulate different hypotheses on how an essential worker status impacts the gendered division of housework during the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in dual-earner opposite-sex couples. In addition, as essential work was often, but not always done on-site, we use the time availability perspective to formulate hypotheses on how the impact of being assigned the essential work status interacts with remote-work. We investigate these research questions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands using household longitudinal panel data from UKHLS and COGIS-LISS, applying panel fixed effects models. The results suggest that having an essential occupation is a resource for women but not men to renegotiate the division of housework. This is particularly the case when one or both partners can work from home." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How Public Investments in Childcare Mitigate Childbirth Effects on Employment Transitions by Skill Level in Europe (2025)
Zitatform
Plavgo, Ilze (2025): How Public Investments in Childcare Mitigate Childbirth Effects on Employment Transitions by Skill Level in Europe. In: Regulation and governance, S. 1-17. 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
Can Dad Take Over? Effects of Paternity Leave on Relationship Stability and Employment (2025)
Poli, Silvia De;Zitatform
Poli, Silvia De (2025): Can Dad Take Over? Effects of Paternity Leave on Relationship Stability and Employment. (FBK-IRVAPP working paper / Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Research Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies 2025-03), Trient, 31 S.
Abstract
"This paper assesses how extending paternity leave duration in Spain affects labour market outcomes and relationship stability. By combining administrative data from different sources, this study provides both descriptive and causal evidence of the effectiveness of the reform. First, we show that having a child substantially increases the gender employment gap between fathers and mothers by about 20 percentage points. Yet, between 2016 and 2021, when the duration of paternity leave gradually increased from two to sixteen weeks, this gap decreased by five percentage points. Second, using a regression discontinuity design, we analyse the causal effect of the 2018 reform, which introduced an additional week of leave for fathers that, for the first time, could be taken independently of the mother's leave. Although we do not find robust evidence of an effect on the labour market, we show that the reform increased the stability of the relationship among couples where the mother was employed before childbirth. From a policy perspective, our findings suggest that extending paternity leave could have important implications in balancing family responsibilities and mitigating relationship conflicts." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
German Parents Attaining Intrapersonal Work-Family Balance While Implementing the 50/50-Split-Model with Their Partners (2025)
Zitatform
Schaber, Ronja, Tirza Patella, Josefine Simm & Susan Garthus-Niegel (2025): German Parents Attaining Intrapersonal Work-Family Balance While Implementing the 50/50-Split-Model with Their Partners. In: Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Jg. 46, H. 1, S. 259-276. DOI:10.1007/s10834-024-09989-1
Abstract
"Work-family balance (WFB) is attained if parents combine work and family roles aligned with their values. For an egalitarian parent aiming to implement a 50/50-split-model, this means sharing paid work, childcare, and housework equally with their partner (involvement balance), performing well in all roles (effective balance), while having positive emotions (emotional balance). This is difficult since work and family are competing for time and attention. Therefore, this article presents resources which can help parents attain WFB within a 50/50-split-model. Quantitative data of n = 1036 couples participating in the Dresden Study on Parenting, Work, and Mental Health (DREAM) were used to calculate the implementation rate of the 50/50-split-model at 14 months postpartum. Quantitative DREAM data were screened to purposively select n = 25 participants implementing a 50/50-split-model for the qualitative study DREAM TALK . Problem-centered interviews were conducted and analyzed via qualitative content analysis. Quantitative results showed a 50/50-split-model implementation rate of 3.8–17.5% among German parents. Qualitative results revealed 14 individual- and eight macro-level resources to facilitate WFB within a 50/50-split-model. Individual-level examples are acknowledging benefits of childcare assistance, segmentation from paid work and controversially, in other situations, integration of paid work and family. Macro-level examples are availability of childcare assistance, of solo paternal leave, paid work < 39 h/week, employee flexibility options, and family-friendly workplace cultures. To conclude, the full potential of individual-level resources applied by parents is attained when supported by macro-level resources provided by politics and employers. Parents, politics, and employers can facilitate WFB within the 50/50-split-model to foster gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Mapping the Determinants of Female Employment: Labour Market Areas and Spatial Spillovers (2025)
Zitatform
Simón-Albert, Raquel, Matías Mayor, José M. Casado-Díaz & Hipólito Simón (2025): Mapping the Determinants of Female Employment: Labour Market Areas and Spatial Spillovers. In: Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1111/tesg.70057
Abstract
"This paper examines the territorial determinants of female employment rates using labour market areas (LMAs) – functional units based on commuting patterns – to mitigate the Modifiable AreaUnit Problem (MAUP). Drawing on detailed Spanish census microdata and spatial econometrics, we find that male unemployment negatively affects female employment through a discouraged worker effect , whereas higher shares of part-time jobs, medium household income, and a greater proportion of immigrant women from emerging countries are associated with better female employment outcomes. Certain aspects of local economic structure, particularly a larger service sector, positively influence women’s employment. Comparing spatial and non-spatial specifications shows only modest gains, consistent with limited cross-area spillovers when the analysis relies on functionally defined units. Overall, the evidence supports LMAs as appropriate territorial units and highlights the importance of care-related and income-based interventions, together with efforts to broaden sectoral opportunities for women and to improve data availability at the functional-area level." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How do parents care together? Dyadic parental leave take-up strategies, wages and workplace characteristics (2025)
Zitatform
Valentova, Marie (2025): How do parents care together? Dyadic parental leave take-up strategies, wages and workplace characteristics. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 39, H. 1, S. 91-114. DOI:10.1177/09500170241229281
Abstract
"The article explores the association between within-household couples’ parental leave take-up strategies and parents’ earning capacity (hourly wages) and their workplace characteristics. The results, based on the social security register data from Luxembourg, reveal that a couple strategy where both partners take parental leave is more likely when the partners have equal earning capacity, when the mother works in the sector of education, health and social services rather than in other sectors, and when the father is employed in a larger-sized company. Couples where the mother earns more than the father are more likely to opt for a strategy where neither parent takes any leave. The economic sector moderates the effect of fathers’ wages on the probability of choosing the strategy where both partners take leave." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Die Arbeitszeitunterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern verringern sich nur langsam (Serie "Equal Pay Day 2025") (2025)
Zitatform
Wanger, Susanne (2025): Die Arbeitszeitunterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern verringern sich nur langsam (Serie "Equal Pay Day 2025"). In: IAB-Forum H. 18.03.2025. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20250318.01
Abstract
"Die Zahl der von berufstätigen Frauen jährlich geleisteten Arbeitsstunden liegt im Schnitt 24 Prozent unter der der Männer. Sie ist damit nur 4 Prozentpunkte niedriger als vor 25 Jahren. Hauptgrund sind die über den gesamten Erwerbsverlauf hinweg deutlich höheren Teilzeitquoten von Frauen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Carrying the Domestic Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Gender, Class and the Domestic Division of Labour (2025)
Zitatform
Warren, Tracey, Luis Torres, Clare Lyonette & Ruth Tarlo (2025): Carrying the Domestic Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Gender, Class and the Domestic Division of Labour. In: Sociology, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1177/00380385251380773
Abstract
"This article explores gender and class inequalities in the domestic division of labour in the UK. Inequalities in housework and caring are important: they shape who can enter the paid workforce and on what terms, impacting career progression, financial security, work–life balance and well-being. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew women shouldered the heaviest burden of housework and caring, but far less was known about class variation among workers. The pandemic intensified housework and caring but it also provided opportunities for a re-evaluation of established practices. Drawing on secondary analysis of data from working-age employees in the UK Household Longitudinal Study, we find gender remained pivotal in shaping domestic working and childcaring, but women and men were living differently classed pandemic lives. The article contributes to interlinking sociological debates about the unpaid essential work within the home, women and men’s working lives during times of turbulence and class inequalities therein." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The Impact of Demographic Change on Spousal Caregiving and Future Gaps in Long-term Care: Microsimulation Projections for Austria and Italy (2025)
Warum, Philipp ; Famira-Mühlberger, Ulrike; Horvath, Thomas ; Culotta, Fabrizio; Leoni, Thomas ; Spielauer, Martin ; Pohl, Pauline;Zitatform
Warum, Philipp, Fabrizio Culotta, Ulrike Famira-Mühlberger, Thomas Horvath, Thomas Leoni, Pauline Pohl & Martin Spielauer (2025): The Impact of Demographic Change on Spousal Caregiving and Future Gaps in Long-term Care: Microsimulation Projections for Austria and Italy. (WIFO working papers 709), Wien, 60 S.
Abstract
"As populations age, the sustainability of long-term care systems increasingly depends on the availability of informal care, particularly from partners. This paper addresses the question of how much care we may expect partners to provide in the future by projecting demand for long-term care (LTC), the care supply mix based on current patterns, and the resulting care gaps up to 2070. Using a comparative dynamic microsimulation model, we contrast the results for Austria and Italy, two countries at very different stages in the ageing process and with pronounced institutional differences. Our results suggest that delayed widowhood due to improvements in mortality is a mitigating factor for the increased need for formal care in ageing societies, although it can only offset this increase to a limited extent. Even under optimistic assumptions, potential care gaps substantially increase in both countries, primarily due to demographic change. The size of these gaps is influenced by institutional settings, partnership patterns and gains in longevity, but no scenario reverses the overall upward trend. These findings emphasize the need for comprehensive LTC reforms that extend beyond merely promoting informal care and highlight the necessity for substantial investment in formal care infrastructure." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gleichstellung in der sozial-ökologischen Transformation: Gutachten für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung (2025)
Zitatform
(2025): Gleichstellung in der sozial-ökologischen Transformation. Gutachten für den Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht der Bundesregierung. (Verhandlungen des Deutschen Bundestages. Drucksachen 20/15105 Vierter), Berlin, 259 S.
Abstract
"Der Vierte Gleichstellungsbericht widmet sich dem Klimawandel und Klimapolitiken in Deutschland unter dem Aspekt der Geschlechtergerechtigkeit. Die Sachverständigen waren beauftragt Ursachen und Auswirkungen des Klimawandels sowie Auswirkungen umwelt- und klimapolitischer Maßnahmen auf die Geschlechterverhältnisse darzustellen, Empfehlungen zur gleichstellungsorientierten Gestaltung der ökologischen Transformation zu erarbeiten, und Empfehlungen zu Strukturen, Instrumenten und institutionellen Mechanismen für eine an Art. 3 Abs. 2 und 3 Grundgesetz orientierte Gleichstellungs-, Umwelt- und Klimapolitik zu entwickeln. Die von Bundesgleichstellungsministerin Lisa Paus im März 2023 berufene Sachverständigenkommission übergab ihr Gutachten Anfang Januar 2025 an die Ministerin. Dieses wurde Anfang März 2025 veröffentlicht. Am 12. März 2025 beschloss das Bundeskabinett die Stellungnahme der Bundesregierung zum Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht, die zusammen mit dem Gutachten als Gleichstellungsbericht veröffentlicht wurde (Bundestags-Drucksache 20/15105). Der Bericht wurde anschließend dem Bundestag und dem Bundesrat vorgelegt." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
Weiterführende Informationen
Hier finden Sie die Expertisen und Hintergrundberichte zum Vierten Gleichstellungsbericht. -
Literaturhinweis
Zur Einführung des Elterngeldes und zur Einkommenssituation der Begünstigten (2025)
Zitatform
(2025): Zur Einführung des Elterngeldes und zur Einkommenssituation der Begünstigten. (Sachstand / Deutscher Bundestag, Wissenschaftliche Dienste), Berlin, 18 S.
Abstract
"Im Jahr 2007 wurde das Elterngeld eingeführt, um das pauschale Erziehungsgeld durch eine einkommensabhängige Leistung zu ersetzen. Als Lohnersatzleistung soll das Elterngeld finanzielle Einbußen nach der Geburt eines Kindes kompensieren. Zugleich soll es Anreize für eine partnerschaftlichere Aufteilung von Erwerbs- und Sorgearbeit schaffen. Im Vergleich zum früheren Erziehungsgeld, das vorrangig als Sozialleistung konzipiert war, richtet sich das Elterngeld an alle Mütter und Väter, so auch an Erwerbstätige mit höheren Einkommen, und sichert diese ökonomisch in der Phase der Familiengründung ab. Das Elterngeld stellt mit 7,99 Milliarden Euro im Haushalt 2024 den größten Einzelposten der gesetzlichen Leistungen für Familien dar (insgesamt 12,45 Milliarden Euro). In der öffentlichen Debatte ist das Elterngeld vor kurzem grundsätzlich kritisiert worden. So stellte der Ifo-Präsident Clemens Fuest angesichts angespannter Haushaltslagen in einem Interview die fiskalische Tragfähigkeit und Wirksamkeit des Elterngeldes grundsätzlich infrage. Diese Aussage rief Widerspruch hervor: Befürworter betonen vor allem die gleichstellungspolitische Bedeutung der Leistung sowie die Förderung der Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf. Die Befürworter kritisieren allerdings die bisher ausgebliebene Erhöhung des Elterngeldes. Seit seiner Einführung hat es keine finanziellen Anpassungen – insbesondere keinen inflationären Ausgleich – erfahren. So zeigt eine Studie des Instituts der deutschen Wirtschaft aus dem Jahr 2024 einen realen Kaufkraftverlust des Elterngeldes von rund 38 Prozent seit 2007 auf. Der vorliegende Sachstand befasst sich auftragsgemäß mit den Hintergründen zur Einführung des Elterngeldes und gibt einen Überblick über den aktuellen Stand der Forschung zu den Auswirkungen des Elterngeldes mit Blick auf die Veränderungen der Einkommenssituation der Begünstigten. Darüber hinaus werden auch die neusten Analysen zum fehlenden Inflationsausgleich dargestellt." (Textauszug; IAB-Doku)
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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
Coparenting and conflicts between work and family: Between-within analysis of German mothers and fathers (2024)
Zitatform
Adams, Ayhan (2024): Coparenting and conflicts between work and family: Between-within analysis of German mothers and fathers. In: Journal of Family Research, Jg. 36, S. 262-282. DOI:10.20377/jfr-1013
Abstract
"Objective: The study examines the relationship between coparenting conflicts and work-to-family/family-to-work conflicts for employed mothers and fathers. Background: The presence of children exacerbates the compatibility of work and duties of the private life for working parents. Working along similar lines in terms of parenting seems to be necessary to cope with these challenges. Still, a few studies have focused on the relationship between coparenting and interrole conflicts. Method: The quantitative analysis draws on longitudinal data from waves 6 to 10 of the German Family Panel, comprising N=3,608 observations of 1,377 individuals. The study employs between-within regression models to examine the inter- and intraindividual associations of coparenting conflicts and work-to-family/family-to-work conflicts. Results: The results revealed a statistically significant association between the level of coparenting conflicts and both, work-to-family and family-to-work conflicts. Additionally, changes in coparenting conflicts are associated with changes in family-to-work conflicts. Interestingly, the interaction between the level of coparenting conflicts and gender shows that the associations with interrole conflicts are more pronounced for fathers than mothers. Conclusion: The study provides insights into the interrelatedness between the parental coparenting relationship and the compatibility of work and family. The results underscore the significant relationship between coparenting conflicts and interrole conflicts for mothers and fathers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Parental Leave: Economic Incentives and Cultural Change (2024)
Albrecht, James ; Vroman, Susan ; Fernández, Raquel ; Edin, Per-Anders ; Thoursie, Peter; Lee, Jiwon;Zitatform
Albrecht, James, Per-Anders Edin, Raquel Fernández, Jiwon Lee, Peter Thoursie & Susan Vroman (2024): Parental Leave: Economic Incentives and Cultural Change. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 32839), Cambridge, Mass, 49 S.
Abstract
"The distribution of parental leave uptake and childcare activities continues to conform to traditional gender roles. In 2002, with the goal of increasing gender equality, Sweden added a second “daddy month,” i.e., an additional month of pay-related parental leave reserved exclusively for each parent. This policy increased men's parental leave uptake and decreased women's, thereby increasing men's share. To understand how various factors contributed to these outcomes, we develop and estimate a quantitative model of the household in which preferences towards parental leave respond to peer behavior. We distinguish households by the education of the parents and ask the model to match key features of the parental leave distribution before and after the reform by gender and household type (the parents' education). We find that changed incentives and, especially, changed social norms played an important role in generating these outcomes whereas changed wage parameters, including the future wage penalty associated with different lengths of parental leave uptake, were minor contributors. We then use our model to evaluate three counterfactual policies designed to increase men's share of parental leave and conclude that giving each parent a non-transferable endowment of parental leave or only paying for the length of time equally taken by each parent would both dramatically increase men's share whereas decreasing childcare costs has almost no effect." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Vom Gender Gap zum Gender Gain: Wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und Anregungen zur Politikgestaltung (2024)
Allmendinger, Jutta; Boden, Michelle;Zitatform
Allmendinger, Jutta & Michelle Boden (2024): Vom Gender Gap zum Gender Gain: Wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und Anregungen zur Politikgestaltung. In: Ifo-Schnelldienst, Jg. 77, H. 8, S. 7-10.
Abstract
"Die finanzielle Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern, Müttern und Vätern sei noch lange nicht erreicht, erklären Jutta Allmendinger und Michelle Boden, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung. Insbesondere die immensen Unterschiede in den Lebenseinkommen zeigen dies deutlich. Aus ihrer Sicht wird es noch einige Zeit dauern, bis die ökonomische Gleichstellung tatsächlich Realität sei. Dies liege nicht nur an langwierigen politischen Entscheidungsprozessen, sondern auch an hartnäckigen Vorurteilen und Stereotypen, die Frauen und Männer in verschiedene Rollen zwängen und Entscheidungen beeinflussen. Ein Teufelskreis aus Strukturen und Kulturen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Family Restrictions at Work (2024)
Zitatform
Aragonès, Enriqueta (2024): Family Restrictions at Work. (Barcelona GSE working paper series 1429), Barcelona, 24 S.
Abstract
"This paper analizes the discrimination that individuals face at work due to their commitment to unpaid care work. The formal model presents a parametrization of the discrimination that affects the individual's optimal labor market participation. The welfare of individuals with commitment to family duties is reduced for two different reasons: for not being able to participate as much in the labor market and thus receive a lower labor income, and for not being able to contribute as much to their family commitments. We compare the results for the female and male sections of the society and we illustrate the observed gender gaps in terms of labor market participation, income levels, and overall utility obtained. We find that even though the gender wage gap may be alleviated with reductions of the cost associated to unpaid care work, the gender utility gap will persist." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede bei Einkommen und Erwerbsbeteiligung, wichtige Einflussfaktoren und Ereignisse: Forschungsbericht im Rahmen des Siebten Armuts- und Reichtumsberichts (2024)
Arnemann, Laura; Rehm, Lennart; Riedel, Lukas; Perner, Ina; Stichnoth, Holger;Zitatform
Arnemann, Laura, Lukas Riedel & Holger Stichnoth (2024): Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede bei Einkommen und Erwerbsbeteiligung, wichtige Einflussfaktoren und Ereignisse. Forschungsbericht im Rahmen des Siebten Armuts- und Reichtumsberichts. Mannheim, 120 S.
Abstract
"Der vorliegende Bericht legt geschlechts- und kohortenspezifische Altersprofile von Erwerbseinkommen und Beschäftigung vor, analysiert Einflussfaktoren auf diese Profile (Bildung, Kinderzahl, Migrationshintergrund, Wohnort in Ost- oder Westdeutschland), untersucht die Auswirkungen (erwerbs-)biografischer Ereignisse (Geburt des ersten Kindes, Scheidung, Arbeitslosigkeit, Erwerbsminderung/Schwerbehinderung) auf Erwerbseinkommen und Beschäftigung und arbeitet in einer Lebensverlaufsbetrachtung typische Verläufe der Einkommen, gemessen an der alters- und jahresspezifischen Position in der Einkommensverteilung, sowie die Verteilung der kumulierten Erwerbseinkommen im Alter von 20 bis 45, differenziert nach Geschlecht, Kohorte und weiteren Merkmalen, heraus. Datengrundlage sind das Sozio-oekonomische Panel und die Stichprobe der Integrierten Arbeitsmarktbiografien." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
Weiterführende Informationen
Data product DOI: 10.5164/IAB.SIAB7519.de.en.v1 -
Literaturhinweis
Housework as a Woman's Job? What Looks Like Gender Ideologies Could Also Be Stereotypes (2024)
Zitatform
Auspurg, Katrin & Sabine Düval (2024): Housework as a Woman's Job? What Looks Like Gender Ideologies Could Also Be Stereotypes. In: Sociological Science, Jg. 11, S. 789-814. DOI:10.15195/v11.a29
Abstract
"We question the validity of standard measures of gender ideology. When asked about “men” and “women” in general, respondents may imagine women (men) with lower (higher) labor market resources. Therefore, standard measures may conflate gender ideologies (injunctive norms) with stereotypical beliefs (descriptive norms). We test this hypothesis with an experiment in the German family panel pairfam: ∼1,200 respondents rated the appropriate division of housework in ∼3,700 hypothetical couples. By gradually adding information about labor market resources, we were able to override respondents’ stereotypical beliefs. We find that with more information, even “traditional” respondents support egalitarian housework arrangements. The main difference between “traditional” and “egalitarian” respondents is not in their ideologies (as previously thought), but in their interpretation of vague items. This leads us to conclude that standard measures overestimate traditional gender ideologies. Our study also illustrates how varying the amount of information can help identify respondents’ implicit beliefs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
What (wo)men want? Evidence from a factorial survey on preferred work hours in couples after childbirth (2024)
Zitatform
Begall, Katia (2024): What (wo)men want? Evidence from a factorial survey on preferred work hours in couples after childbirth. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 40, H. 2, S. 342-356. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcad054
Abstract
"The division of labour remains persistently gendered, in particular among couples with children. Previous research shows that women’s lower economic resources are an important factor driving these inequalities, but because gender and (relative) earnings are highly correlated in male–female couples, their relative importance is difficult to disentangle with observational data. Using a factorial survey conducted among approximately 700 employed men and women of childbearing age in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, the contribution of relative earnings and gender in explaining work-care divisions in couples with children is disentangled. The results show that men and women do not differ in their preferences for their own work hours after childbirth, but both prefer the father to work more hours than the mother. Moreover, the combination of own and partners’ preferred hours shows that men and women in all three countries prefer a modified male-breadwinner model after childbirth in scenarios where the male partner earns more or partners have equal earnings. Preferences for egalitarian divisions of labour appear to be slightly stronger in men compared to women and respondents with more egalitarian views on care tasks show less gender-specialization." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Parenthood and Couples’ Division of Paid Labor: The Role of Prebirth Breadwinner Couple Type in European Cross-National Perspective (2024)
Zitatform
Bian, Fei, Luana Marx & Leen Vandecasteele (2024): Parenthood and Couples’ Division of Paid Labor: The Role of Prebirth Breadwinner Couple Type in European Cross-National Perspective. In: Demography, Jg. 61, H. 6, S. 1819-1844. DOI:10.1215/00703370-11675596
Abstract
"Although it is well established that parenthood affects employment decisions within households, less is known about how this effect varies across couple types in different countries. Using difference-in-differences analysis with propensity score matching and multilevel modeling with cross-level interactions, this study explores heterogeneity in the effect of parenthood on couples’ division of paid labor by prebirth relative earning power in different European contexts. The results show that the decline in the female share of couples’ paid working hours after parenthood is stronger in male main-earner couples than in equal-earner or female main-earner couples. Our cross-national findings demonstrate that institutional and cultural factors influence couples’ postparenthood employment arrangements, with the magnitude of these moderating effects dependent on the couple's prebirth relative earning pattern. Longer paid maternity and family leave for mothers exacerbates the parenthood effect on couples’ division of paid labor, whereas greater childcare provision weakens this effect. However, these policy impacts are observed only among male main-earner couples, which can be attributed to differences in opportunity costs and bargaining power across couple types. Egalitarian gender norms weaken the effect of parenthood on the paid labor division between partners regardless of the breadwinner couple type before childbirth." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Wage Effects of Couples' Divisions of Labour across the UK Wage Distribution (2024)
Zitatform
Blom, Niels & Lynn Prince Cooke (2024): Wage Effects of Couples' Divisions of Labour across the UK Wage Distribution. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 38, H. 5, S. 1223-1243. DOI:10.1177/09500170231180818
Abstract
"Specialisation and gender theories offer competing hypotheses of whether men’s and women’s wages rise or fall based on the couple’s division of household unpaid and paid labour, and how effects differ across the wage distribution. We test division effects by analysing British panel data using unconditional quantile regression with individual fixed effects, controlling for own hours in housework and employment. We find only high-wage men’s wages were significantly greater when their partners specialised in routine housework, and when they were the sole breadwinner. Conversely, low- and high-wage partnered women incurred significant wage penalties as their share of housework exceeded their partners’. Wages for low-wage men and median- and high-wage women also decreased as their share of household employment increased. We conclude only elite partnered men benefit from specialisation. Everyone else is either better off or no worse off with equitable household divisions of paid and unpaid work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Marriage Market and Labor Market Sorting (2024)
Calvo, Paula; Reynoso, Ana; Lindenlaub, Ilse;Zitatform
Calvo, Paula, Ilse Lindenlaub & Ana Reynoso (2024): Marriage Market and Labor Market Sorting. In: The Review of Economic Studies, Jg. 91, H. 6, S. 3316-3361. DOI:10.1093/restud/rdae010
Abstract
"We develop a new equilibrium model in which households’ labor supply choices form the link between sorting on the marriage market and sorting on the labor market. We first show that in theory, the nature of home production—whether partners’ hours are complements or substitutes—shapes equilibrium labor supply as well as marriage and labour market sorting. We then estimate our model using German data to empirically assess the nature of home production, and find that spouses’ home hours are complements. We investigate to what extent complementarity in home hours drives sorting and inequality. We find that home production complementarity strengthens positive marriage sorting and reduces the gender gap in hours and in labor sorting. This puts significant downward pressure on the gender wage gap and on within-household income inequality, but fuels between-household inequality. Our estimated model sheds new light on the sources of inequality in today’s Germany, and—by identifying important shifts in home production technology toward more complementarity—on the evolution of inequality over time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Remote Work, Gender Ideologies, and Fathers’ Participation in Childcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic (2024)
Zitatform
Carlson, Daniel L., Skye McPherson & Richard J. Petts (2024): Remote Work, Gender Ideologies, and Fathers’ Participation in Childcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In: Social Sciences, Jg. 13, H. 3. DOI:10.3390/socsci13030166
Abstract
"During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work became the new reality for many fathers. Though time availability theory suggests that this newfound flexibility should lead to more domestic labor on the part of fathers, many were skeptical that fathers would step up to shoulder the load at home. Indeed, the findings are decidedly mixed on the association of fathers’ remote work with their performance of housework and childcare. Nonetheless, research has yet to consider how contextual factors, such as fathers ’ gender ideologies and mothers’ employment, may condition these associations. Using data from Wave 1 of the Study on U.S. Parents’ Divisions of Labor During COVID-19 (SPDLC), we examine how gender ideology moderates the association between fathers’ remote work and their performance and share of childcare during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in both sole-earner and dual-earner families. The results show, for sole-earning fathers and dual-earner fathers with egalitarian gender attitudes, that the frequency of remote work was positively associated with fathers performing more, and a greater share of, childcare during the pandemic. Yet, only dual-earner fathers with egalitarian gender attitudes performed an equal share of childcare in their families. These findings suggest that the pandemic provided structural opportunities for fathers, particularly egalitarian-minded fathers, to be the equally engaged parents they desired." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
What Works for Working Couples? Work Arrangements, Maternal Labor Supply, and the Division of Home Production (2024)
Ciasullo, Ludovica; Uccioli, Martina;Zitatform
Ciasullo, Ludovica & Martina Uccioli (2024): What Works for Working Couples? Work Arrangements, Maternal Labor Supply, and the Division of Home Production. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 16991), Bonn, 87 S.
Abstract
"We document how a change to work arrangements reduces the child penalty in labor supply for women, and that the consequent more equal distribution of household income does not translate into a more equal division of home production between mothers and fathers. The Australian 2009 Fair Work Act explicitly entitled parents of young children to request a (reasonable) change in work arrangements. Leveraging variation in the timing of the law, timing of childbirth, and the bite of the law across different occupations and industries, we establish three main results. First, the Fair Work Act was used by new mothers to reduce their weekly working hours without renouncing their permanent contract, hence maintaining a regular schedule. Second, with this work arrangement, working mothers’ child penalty declined from a 47 percent drop in hours worked to a 38 percent drop. Third, while this implies a significant shift towards equality in the female- and male-shares of household income, we do not observe any changes in the female (disproportionate) share of home production." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Parental well-being when children move out: a panel study on short- and long-term effects (2024)
Zitatform
Collischon, Matthias, Andreas Eberl & Tobias Wolbring (2024): Parental well-being when children move out: a panel study on short- and long-term effects. In: Advances in life course research, Jg. 62, 2024-11-03. DOI:10.1016/j.alcr.2024.100643
Abstract
"This article investigates the effect of adult children leaving the parental home on parental well-being. Adult children moving out is an important event in parents' lives. However, it is theoretically unclear whether parental well-being decreases or increases from children moving out. On the one hand, children moving out can relieve parents' burdens and reduce stress exposure affecting well-being positively. On the other hand, it leads to a change in parental roles, with adverse consequences for parental well-being. This study uses long-running panel data (1991-2016) from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) to investigate the relationship between child moves and parental well-being using fixed effects dummy impact functions. The findings suggest that differentiating between first and empty nest moves is important when investigating the effects of children moving out of the parental home on parental well-being, as only the first move shows a long-lasting negative effect on parental well-being. Furthermore, the effects are strongest for respondents who have work arrangements in line with traditional gender roles." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Time use, college attainment, and the working-from-home revolution (2024)
Cowan, Benjamin;Zitatform
Cowan, Benjamin (2024): Time use, college attainment, and the working-from-home revolution. In: Journal of Population Economics, Jg. 37. DOI:10.1007/s00148-024-01036-5
Abstract
"I demonstrate that the profound change in working from home (WFH) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is concentrated among individuals with college degrees. Relative to 2015–2019, the number of minutes worked from home on “post-pandemic” (August 2021–December 2022) weekdays increased by 78 min for college graduates; for non-graduates, the increase was 22 min. The share of work done at home (for those who worked at all) increased by 22% for graduates and 7% for non-graduates. I examine how time-use patterns change for college graduates relative to non-graduates over the same period. Average minutes worked changed little for either group. Daily time spent traveling (e.g., commuting) fell by 21 min for college graduates and 6 min for non-graduates. College graduates experience a relative shift from eating out to eating at home, an increase in free time, and an increase in time spent with children, with the latter effect concentrated among fathers. Thus, while the gender gap in childcare among college graduates may be diminished by the WFH revolution, gaps in children's outcomes by parents' college attainment may be exacerbated by it." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Family Formation and Employment Changes Among Descendants of Immigrants in France: A Multiprocess Analysis (2024)
Zitatform
Delaporte, Isaure & Hill Kulu (2024): Family Formation and Employment Changes Among Descendants of Immigrants in France: A Multiprocess Analysis. In: European Journal of Population, Jg. 40. DOI:10.1007/s10680-024-09709-3
Abstract
"This paper investigates the association between family formation and the labour market trajectories of immigrants’ descendants overthe life course. Using rich data from the Trajectories and Origins survey from France, we apply multilevel event history models to analyse the transitions in and out of employment for both men and women by parity. We account for unobserved co-determinants of childbearing and employment by applying a simultaneous-equations modelling. Our analysis shows that women’s professional careers are negatively associated with childbirth. There are differences across descendant groups. The female descendants of Turkish immigrants are more likely to exit employment and less likely to re-enter employment following childbirth than women from other groups. The negative impact of childbearing on employment is slightly overestimated among women due to unobserved selection effects. Among men, the descendants of European immigrants are less likely to exit employment after having a child than other descendant groups. The study demonstrates the negative effect of childbearing on women’s employment, which is pronounced for some minority groups suggesting the need for further policies to help women reconcile work with family life." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How fathers' values matter for work–family decisions and partner support: a capability approach (2024)
Zitatform
Den Brinker, J. S. M., T. A. M. Kooij, M. L. Van Engen, P. Peters & J. J. L. Van der Klink (2024): How fathers' values matter for work–family decisions and partner support: a capability approach. In: Community, work & family, Jg. 27, H. 4, S. 433-453. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2022.2157248
Abstract
"This qualitative study identified the values of 26 Dutch dual-earner fathers underlying their actual division of paid and unpaid work, and the role work decisions favoring their family, referred to as Family Relatedness of Work Decisions (FRWD), and received partner support played in realizing these values. We used the capability approach as theoretical framework to compare individuals on the kind of lives they value, and what constrains or enables them herein. Results showed different patterns in what is valued related to fathers’ paid workhours. Work-oriented fathers primarily valued income provision and received substantial partner support in caregiving and housework. Work–family fathers valued gender-equality in the division of labor with support from their partners both in earning and caregiving. Family–work fathers’ lack of substantially paid work hampered them in realizing their valued equal division of labor. Our results illustrated that fathers’ values shaped their time-allocation in paid and unpaid work, in synergy with FRWD and received partner support. Moreover, FRWD were more closely related to fathers’ values than to their employment type. We conclude that partner support needs to be incorporated into the FRWD framework." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Arbeitslose im Grundsicherungsbezug: Väter nehmen ungünstige Arbeitszeiten und lange Arbeitswege eher in Kauf als Mütter (2024)
Zitatform
Frodermann, Corinna (2024): Arbeitslose im Grundsicherungsbezug: Väter nehmen ungünstige Arbeitszeiten und lange Arbeitswege eher in Kauf als Mütter. In: IAB-Forum H. 20.11.2024. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20241120.01
Abstract
"Daten des Panels „Arbeitsmarkt und soziale Sicherung“ (PASS) zeigen, dass Arbeitslose, die Leistungen der Grundsicherung beziehen, eine hohe Bereitschaft haben, eine neue Arbeitsstelle auch unter schlechteren Bedingungen anzunehmen. Bei dieser sogenannten Konzessionsbereitschaft gibt es allerdings große Unterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen, vor allem unter Berücksichtigung des familiären Kontextes." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Aufteilung von Erwerbs- und Sorgearbeit bei Eltern: Wunsch und Wirklichkeit liegen teils weit auseinander (2024)
Zitatform
Gambaro, Ludovica, Annica Gehlen, C. Katharina Spieß, Katharina Wrohlich & Elena Ziege (2024): Aufteilung von Erwerbs- und Sorgearbeit bei Eltern: Wunsch und Wirklichkeit liegen teils weit auseinander. In: DIW-Wochenbericht, Jg. 91, H. 29, S. 459-466. DOI:10.18723/diw_wb:2024-29-1
Abstract
"Mütter und Väter teilen sich die Erwerbs- und Sorgearbeit in Deutschland im Durchschnitt sehr ungleich auf. Frauen gehen oftmals nur in Teilzeit einer Erwerbstätigkeit nach – weitere geschlechtsspezifische Ungleichheiten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt sind die Folge. Aktuelle Auswertungen von Daten des familiendemografischen Panels FReDA zeigen, dass die Vorstellungen über die ideale Aufteilung der Erwerbsarbeit bei Paaren mit Kindern unter zwölf Jahren in der Bevölkerung deutlich egalitärer sind als die gelebte Wirklichkeit der Paare mit Kindern in der entsprechenden Altersgruppe. Einer der strukturellen Gründe für diese Diskrepanz sind die finanziellen Anreize des deutschen Steuer- und Transfersystems, die sich für verheiratete Paare insbesondere aus dem Zusammenspiel von Ehegattensplitting und steuerlicher Behandlung von Minijobs ergeben. Hinzu kommen eine unzureichende Kinderbetreuungsinfrastruktur und der nach wie vor sehr hohe Gender Pay Gap in Deutschland. Will die Politik geschlechtsspezifische Ungleichheiten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt abbauen, sollten das Steuer- und Transfersystem modernisiert und Kita-Angebote weiter ausgebaut werden, um eine gleichmäßigere Aufteilung der Erwerbs- und Sorgearbeit attraktiver zu machen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
The Gender Division of Work across Countries (2024)
Zitatform
Gottlieb, Charles, Cheryl Doss, Douglas Gollin & Markus Poschke (2024): The Gender Division of Work across Countries. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 16896), Bonn, 64 S.
Abstract
"Across countries, women and men allocate time differently between market work, domestic services, and care work. In this paper, we document the gender division of work, drawing on a new harmonized data set that provides us with high-quality time use data for 50 countries spanning the global income distribution. A striking feature of the data is the wide dispersion across countries at similar income levels. We use these data to motivate a macroeconomic model of household time use in which country-level allocations are shaped by wages and a set of "wedges" that resemble productivity, preferences, and disutilities. Taking the model to country-level observations, we find that a wedge related to the disutility of market work for women plays a crucial role in generating the observed dispersion of outcomes, particularly for middle-income countries. Variation in the division of non-market work is principally shaped by a wedge indicating greater disutility for men, which is especially large in some low- and middle-income countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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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
Gleichstellung am Arbeitsmarkt?: Aktuelle Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Frauenerwerbstätigkeit in Deutschland (2024)
Hermann, Michaela; Kunze, Luisa; Böker, Charlotte;Zitatform
Hermann, Michaela & Luisa Kunze (2024): Gleichstellung am Arbeitsmarkt? Aktuelle Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Frauenerwerbstätigkeit in Deutschland. (Factsheet / Bertelsmann Stiftung), Gütersloh, 14 S. DOI:10.11586/2023085
Abstract
"Die Erwerbstätigenquote von Frauen in Deutschland ist mit knapp 78 Prozent im europäischen Vergleich eine der höchsten. Da jedoch fast die Hälfte aller 20- bis 64-jährigen Frauen (48 Prozent) in Teilzeit arbeitet, ist ihre tatsächliche Erwerbsstundenzahl vergleichsweise gering. Dabei sind Frauen häufig hochqualifiziert und würden auch gerne mehr arbeiten – wenn die Rahmenbedingungen dafür besser wären. Angesichts dieses ungenutzten Potenzials ist es sowohl aus gleichstellungspolitischer als auch wirtschaftlicher Perspektive von höchster Relevanz, die Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen zu erhöhen. Gerade in Zeiten eines beschleunigten Strukturwandels sowie zunehmenden Fachkräftemangels braucht es differenzierte Maßnahmen, um die Frauenerwerbstätigkeit zu stärken. Eine höhere Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen kann nicht nur helfen, Diskriminierung am Arbeitsmarkt zu mindern, sondern trägt auch zur Fachkräftesicherung und zu wirtschaftlichem Wohlstand bei. Gleichzeitig können sich Frauen beruflich freier und umfassender entwickeln, sind finanziell unabhängiger und beugen mit einem existenzsichernden Erwerbseinkommen der Armut im Alter vor." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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