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Kim, Andrew Taeho & ChangHwan Kim (2025): Double disadvantage of Black, Hispanic, and Asian American women in earnings, revisited. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 96. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101018

Abstract

"Prior literature suggests that women of color experience unique disadvantages as women and as racial minorities. However, empirical studies that hypothesize an additional disadvantage for women of color in personal earnings have not found supporting evidence. This study explores the family contexts and the local labor market conditions by which double disadvantage is mitigated. Using the 2015–2019 American Community Survey, we uncover a paradoxical pattern that the stronger the power of race in accounting for earnings inequality among men in a local labor market, the weaker double disadvantage married women of color experience. The relative performances of women of color compared to White women in terms of personal earnings, annual work hours, and hourly earnings are positively associated with the strength of race in explaining earnings inequality among men across local labor markets. No such paradoxical patterns are persistently evident among cohabiting or single women. The implications of these findings are discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))

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Kostøl, Fredrik B. & Elin Svarstad (2025): From bargaining to balance: How unions shape gender wage outcomes. In: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Jg. 236. DOI:10.1016/j.jebo.2025.107130

Abstract

"Women continue to earn less than men in OECD countries. Extensive research has explored various factors contributing to the gender wage gap. However, fewer studies have examined the impact of trade unions, despite their significant role in promoting equality. In this study, we exploit exogenous variation in tax scheme incentives for union members to identify the effect of trade unions on the gender wage gap in Norwegian private sector establishments. Using administrative register data on full-time private-sector workers in the period 2000–2014, we find that increases in union density reduce wage differences between women and men within establishments. A ten-percentage point increase in the workplace union density is estimated to reduce the gender wage gap by approximately 2.7 percentage points." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

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Kröner, Lea, Deni Mazrekaj, Tanja van der Lippe & Anne‐Rigt Poortman (2025): Profiles Among Women Without a Paid Job and Social Benefits: An Intersectional Perspective Using Dutch Population Register Data. In: Social Policy and Administration, Jg. 59, H. 5, S. 717-728. DOI:10.1111/spol.13080

Abstract

"Despite their potential vulnerability and untapped work potential, research on the group of women without a paid job and social benefits is limited. This study is the first to identify profiles among women in this group based on their intersecting economic, sociodemographic and contextual characteristics. A cluster analysis conducted on Dutch population register data from 2019 challenges previous research that lumped women without a paid job and social benefits into a single group. Rather, we reveal three distinct profiles: ‘Dutch empty nesters (i.e., mothers with adult children) in affluent households’, ‘Migrant women in urban living areas’ and ‘Dutch, educated mothers with affluent partners’. The identification of these three profiles can mark a significant step in developing tailored active labour market policies for women without a paid job and social benefits." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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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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Kuo, Mei-Yu & Vincent J. Roscigno (2025): Labor force attachment, college majors, and the gender earnings gap. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 100. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101107

Abstract

"Workplace stratification research has been clear regarding ongoing earnings inequalities by gender and how both family dynamics and long-term employment may be playing a role. Gender gaps in both earnings and labor force integration, however, may also be partially shaped by divergences in post-secondary educational backgrounds. In this article, we draw on NLSY97 data and interrogate gender wage inequalities among college educated individuals in the U.S., how they may be tied to distinct fields of study, and the implications especially for labor force attachment and detachment over time. Results show clear divergences and significant contemporary baccalaureate underrepresentation of women in STEM fields—i.e., fields where eventual labor force attachment and wages tend to be highest. Although well-represented among non-STEM degree holders, women’s wage returns to these degrees are depressed relative to their male counterparts; a pattern partly tied to women’s concentration in “applied” fields of study that tend to lead to care-centered forms of employment. Further analyses show how observable earnings gaps across majors are partly a consequence of differences in labor force attachment across time; and that earnings benefits associated with labor force attachment are nearly double for men than for women. We conclude by discussing the stratified gender pipeline in educational pathways, its implications for employment integration and, consequently, ongoing earnings gaps." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))

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Kühn, Mine, Anna Baranowska-Rataj, Liina Junna, Pekka Martikainen & Niina Metsä-Simola (2025): Unemployment among single mothers and adolescent children's mental health. In: Journal of Family Research, Jg. 37, S. 334-354. DOI:10.20377/jfr-1269

Abstract

"Objective: This paper studies the consequences of maternal unemployment in single-mother families on the mental health of adolescent children. Background: The impact of parental unemployment on the health and well-being of children has received increasing attention in recent years, but little is known about these cross-over effects in single-mother households - a particularly vulnerable family setting for maternal unemployment and child health. Method: We use data from a large, register-based panel of Finnish adolescents aged 15-21 years in 1996-2019 (n = 130,520), with repeated measures of prescribed psychotropic medication purchases in six-month periods. Event study difference-in-difference models - adjusting for time-invariant characteristics - are employed to investigate the association between maternal unemployment and adolescents’ psychotropic medication purchases. Results: Maternal unemployment is associated with a small increase in psychotropic medication purchases, especially about two years after the transition to unemployment. While the point estimates are similar for both boys and girls, the estimates for girls remain non-significant. The observed patterns cannot be explained by changes in maternal income after job loss, and non-resident fathers’ income did not clearly mitigate thenegative effects of single mother unemployment on adolescent psychotropic medication purchases. Conclusion: Maternal unemployment in single-mother households is modestly associated with adolescent mental health, highlighting the need for targeted support for this vulnerable group." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Larsen Gibby, Ashley, Jocelyn Wikle & Cambria Siddoway (2025): Maternal labor supply among fully biological, fully adoptive, and mixed biological/adoptive mothers. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-22. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2504910

Abstract

"Research in Western Europe shows that adoptive and non-adoptive mothers do not differ dramatically in earnings, supporting the conclusion that biology is not a strong explanation for the wage gap between mothers and fathers. We expand on this conclusion by examining these trends in the United States and considering two new explanations of why adoptive and non-adoptive mothers may differ: socioeconomic inequalities and commitment to the labor market. We consider differences between fully biological mothers (n = 269,930), fully adoptive mothers (n = 3,865), and mothers with both biological and adopted children (mixed biological/adoptive, n = 1,712) using the United States Current Population Survey (CPS) from 2007 to 2018. Regression results show that fully adoptive mothers were least likely, and fully biological mothers were most likely, to be employed. There were no significant differences in usual work hours across these groups. Moderation results show that adoption was not a consistent predictor of labor supply among those with young children or high levels of education. Our results are exploratory and suggest that adoptive mothers are socioeconomically advantaged, possibly reducing their need to work. Further, our moderation results challenge the idea that adoptive mothers have weaker ties to the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Li, Anita (2025): Is It Daddy Time Yet? Trends and Variation in Men's Employment Hours Around Childbirth: 1989–2020. In: Demography, Jg. 62, H. 4, S. 1319-1339. DOI:10.1215/00703370-12157124

Abstract

"Scholars continue to debate the progress of the gender revolution. Some argue that the gender revolution is stalled, whereas others see an emerging second half marked by men's increased involvement in the home. Using longitudinally linked monthly data from the 1989–2020 Current Population Survey, I show that U.S. fathers from more recent cohorts worked fewer hours around the time of a childbirth than earlier cohorts—evidence consistent with the second half of the gender revolution. The magnitude of change is modest but is larger among college-educated men, men with a college-educated partner, and men in dual-earner households. Changes across cohorts are entirely accounted for by men's increasing reports of parental leave usage. Findings shed light on the changing relationship between parenthood and work for men and suggest continued steps toward gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Liepmann, Hannah & Ariane Hegewisch (2025): Revisiting Occupational Segregation and the Valuation of Women's Work. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18291), Bonn, 45 S.

Abstract

"While population ageing increases the demand for care work, new technologies, including AI, reinforce the importance of human interaction, with recent research finding significant wage premiums for social skills. Against this background, we investigate two factors behind the gender wage gap: occupational gender segregation and lower pay in female-dominated occupations, especially care work, where social skills are central. Using 1972-2024 CPS data, we show that occupational gender segregation remains pronounced in the United States, with many care occupations remaining female-dominated. This continues to correlate with lower wages. Conditional on observable characteristics, a 1 percentage point increase in the occupational share of women during 2015-24 was associated with a wage decrease of 0.22 percent for women and 0.20 percent for men. We then analyze whether returns to social skills are distorted in the care sector, where we hypothesize that the wage returns on workers' performance are lower due to the public-goods aspect of care work. Based on combined CPS and O*Net data, we investigate occupation-level skills returns for 2015-24. They are indeed insignificant for care workers but sizeable for business services workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lillebø, Otto Sevaldson, Simen Markussen & Knut Røed (2025): The Effects of Maternity Leave Benefits on Mothers and Children. A Reexamination. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18193), Bonn, 35 S.

Abstract

"We provide a full reexamination of the effects of a maternity leave extension implemented in Norway in 1977. Previous research reporting large favorable long-term effects on mothers' health and on offspring's educational and labor market outcomes relied on an incorrect description of the reform and an invalid identification strategy. In the present paper, we show that the previously reported results are misleading. Building on an accurate description of the reform and its implementation, we document that it had no noticeable long-term effects on mothers' health or on offspring's education and labor market outcomes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Love, Jasmine, Katrina A. Lambert, Amanda Cooklin, Stacey Hokke, Liana Leach, Rebecca Giallo, Tinh Doan, Helen Findley & Jodi Oakman (2025): Mismatch between actual and preferred number of days working from home. Parental status, work-family conflict, and stress. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-22. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2584084

Abstract

"This study assessed whether the mismatch between Australian employees actual and preferred number of days working from home is associated with work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict and four indicators of stress (burnout, general stress, somatic stress, cognitive stress). Whether these relationships were moderated by parental status was examined. Employees working from home completed online surveys in May 2021 (n = 451), November 2021 (n = 358) and May 2022 (n = 320). The three waves of data were pooled (337 non-parents, 179 parents) and generalised mixed effects models were used. For parents, a mismatch between actual and preferred amount of working from home, particularly working from home less than preferred, was associated with increased work-to-family conflict (but not family-to-work conflict). Working from home more than preferred was associated with increases in all four aspects of stress for parents and non-parents. Working from home less than preferred was associated with increased burnout among non-parents and decreased general stress and cognitive stress among parents. Findings suggest there is no one-size-fits-all approach in how much working from home is optimal, but a mismatch in work from home preferences can have adverse associations with employee wellbeing, particularly work-to-family conflict for parents. Work from home arrangements should be tailored to individual needs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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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Maclean, Joanna Catherine & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia (2025): The Effects of State Paid Sick Leave Mandates on Parental Childcare Time. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17786), Bonn, 75 S.

Abstract

"Unlike most developed countries, the U.S. lacks a federal paid sick leave policy. As a result, many workers must choose between losing earnings and attending to childcare responsibilities. To date, 17 states and the District of Columbia have adopted or announced paid sick leave mandates that provide up to seven days of paid leave per year that can be used for family responsibilities and healthcare. In this study, we estimate the effects of state paid sick leave mandates on parents' time spent providing childcare using time diaries from the 2004–2023 American Time Use Survey. Findings from difference-in-differences estimators suggest that post-mandate, parental time spent providing childcare increases by 5.8%. Effects are stronger among women with younger children. Overall, our findings suggest that paid sick leave mandates allow parents to better balance work and family responsibilities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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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Marcén, Miriam & Marina Morales (2025): The gender gap in working from home after the onset of COVID-19. In: Review of Economics of the Household, Jg. 23, H. 4, S. 1459-1486. DOI:10.1007/s11150-025-09809-x

Abstract

"This study examines changes in the gender gap in the take up and intensity of working from home following the unexpected onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the American Time Use Survey, we find that working from home became more prevalent among women than men, thus widening the gender gap. Job characteristics played a crucial role in this trend, particularly among private sector workers. The gender gap widened most significantly among young, highly educated individuals and those living with dependents. Moreover, our results suggest that social distancing measures increased working from home time for men but did not have the same effect on women. We also extend our analysis to other work-related outcomes, finding that women experienced less favorable outcomes, particularly an increase in unpredictable or non-standard schedules. Overall, this shift in the gender gap is statistically significant over time and remains robust." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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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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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Mogstad, Magne, Kjell G. Salvanes & Gaute Torsvik (2025): Income Equality in The Nordic Countries: Myths, Facts, and Lessons. (BFI Working Papers / University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics 2025,25), Chicago, 58 S. DOI:10.2139/ssrn.5133608

Abstract

"Policymakers, public commentators, and researchers often cite the Nordic countries as examples of a social and economic model that successfully combines low income inequality with prosperity and growth. This article aims to critically assess this claim by integrating theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence to illustrate how the Nordic model functions and why these countries experience low inequality. Our analysis suggests that income equality in the Nordics is primarily driven by a significant compression of hourly wages, reducing the returns to labor market skills and education. This appears to be achieved through a wage bargaining system characterized by strong coordination both within and across industries. This finding contrasts with other commonly cited explanations for Nordic income equality, such as redistribution through the tax-transfer system, public spending on goods that complement employment, and public policies aimed at equalizing skills and human capital distribution. We consider the potential lessons for other economies that seek to reduce income equality. We conclude by discussing several underexplored or unresolved questions and issues." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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))

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Morosow, Kathrin & Marika Jalovaara (2025): Single and partnered mothers’ labor market consequences of long family leave. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-22. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2535739

Abstract

"This study examines the heterogenous labor market effects of family leave policies for single and partnered mothers. Longer family leave has been shown to weaken women’s labor market positions and some studies have found heterogenous effects across population groups. However, whether the effect differs by partnership status remains unexplored. Using Finnish register data from 1989 to 2014 (ca. 2.5 million person-years) and controlling for selection into single motherhood by comparing estimates from OLS and FE models, this study compares single and partnered mothers’ unemployment and earnings consequent to extended family leaves. In line with predictions that single mothers may face greater work-family reconciliation issues or cumulative disadvantage leading to greater labor market penalties, the results showed that longer leave increases the length of unemployment for single mothers more than for partnered ones. This is not solely because of selection into single motherhood. Earnings penalties after family leave (net of employment status) are the same for single and partnered mothers. We conclude that similar long- lengths of family leave are penalized more among single mothers in terms of employment, which increases and reproduces social inequalities. This means that existing inequalities are reinforced by labor market absences supported by leave policies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Narazani, Edlira, Ana Agúndez García, Michael Christl & Francesco Figari (2025): Increased childcare to promote mothers’ employment in selected EU countries. In: Journal of Policy Modeling, Jg. 47, H. 3, S. 492-511. DOI:10.1016/j.jpolmod.2024.12.005

Abstract

"This paper provides evidence of the maternal labor supply effects of increased childcare availability in a set of EU Member States based on the behavioural microsimulation model EUROLAB, that uses a labor market equilibrium model to encompass the demand side. Our findings indicate that achieving higher childcare participation rates would result in an overall increase in the labor supply of mothers with children below 3, with variations across countries. Furthermore, the labor demand side moderates slightly the final employment effect, but employment is still expected to rise substantially vis a vis the baseline situation. In countries like Hungary and Poland, where formal childcare and female labor participation are low, the expected impact on employment is likely to be higher. Conversely, in countries like Portugal the changes in employment are more modest. These findings indicate that universal, one-size-fits-all targets may not be efficient in the EU, given significant variations across countries in terms of labor market participation and childcare systems. Thus, tailored childcare policies that account for country-specific contexts within the EU are recommended." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Society for Policy Modeling. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))

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Nishimura, Tomo (2025): Effects of fathers’ nonstandard work schedules on childcare time. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2549785

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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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Olsson, Jonna (2025): Singles, Couples, and Their Labor Supply: Long-Run Trends and Short-Run Fluctuations. In: American Economic Journal. Macroeconomics, Jg. 17, H. 1, S. 1-34. DOI:10.1257/mac.20200449

Abstract

"Women's increased involvement in the economy has been an important change in labor markets during the past century. I show that a macroeconomic model taking into account gender and household composition in an otherwise parsimonious off-the-shelf setting captures key historical labor supply facts regarding trend and volatility across subgroups. Evaluating the economy's response to aggregate shocks at different points in time shows that the underlying trend growth in married women's employment contributed to the perceived quick employment recoveries after recessions before 1990, and the absence of growth thereafter consequently helps explain the more recent slower recoveries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ong, Pinchuan (2025): The Effect of Child Support on Fathers’ Labor Supply. In: Journal of labor economics. DOI:10.1086/740192

Abstract

"Child support frequently increases with the noncustodial fathers’ incomes. I study the effect on their work incentives. For identification, I exploit the end of child support when the children involved reach emancipation age. Empirically, child support paid drops to near zero on emancipation; fathers correspondingly increase their work hours and annual earnings. Formally, each 10 percentage point increase in the child support rate leads to an 8–11 percent decrease in labor supply conditional on working. I find weaker extensive margin responses. In a structural model, I map these estimates to the intertemporal elasticity of labor supply (Frisch elasticity)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Osso, Katia & Michael Halinski (2025): The dark side of work-life policies: the influence of co-workers taking childcare leave on work anxiety. In: Career Development International, Jg. 30, H. 2, S. 125-138. DOI:10.1108/cdi-04-2023-0098

Abstract

"Purpose: While work-life policies (WLPs) are tools that employees may draw on to better manage and balance their work and life demands, there is growing evidence that suggests the usage of WLPs may negatively impact other employees. Drawing from the theory of role dynamics and social role theory, we examine the indirect effect of co-workers taking childcare leave (CTCL) on work anxiety via work-role overload, as well as the impact of gender on this indirect relationship. Design/methodology/Approach: We used Prolific Academic to recruit 236 employees to participate in a three-wave study. These data were analyzed as a hypothesized structural equation modelling (SEM) using SPSS AMOS. Findings: Findings reveal: (1) CTCL positively relates to work anxiety via work-role overload, and (2) gender moderates this indirect effect such that this positive relationship is stronger for men than women. Practical implications: Work-life policy makers should take note of the “hidden costs” associated with work-life policy usage on other employees. Managers should work with policy users to mitigate the negative effects of policy usage on others. Originality/value: In contrast to broader WLP research, which focuses on the benefits of policy usage on the policy user, this research shows the negative implications of work-life policies on others’ work anxiety via work-role overload. In doing so, it becomes the first study to showcase a crossover effect of CTCL on employees’ work anxiety." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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Palladino, Marco G., Antoine Bertheau, Alexander Hijzen, Astrid Kunze, César Barreto, Dogan Gülümser, Marta Lachowska, Anne Sophie Lassen, Salvatore Lattanzio, Benjamin Lochner, Stefano Lombardi, Jordy Meekes, Balázs Muraközy & Oskar Nordström Skans (2025): Firms and the Gender Wage Gap: A Comparison of Eleven Countries. (VATT working papers / Valtion Taloudellinen Tutkimuskeskus (Helsinki) 181), Helsinki, 82 S.

Abstract

"We quantify the role of gender-specific firm wage premiums in explaining the private-sector gender gap in hourly wages using a harmonized research design across 11 matched employer-employee datasets of ten European countries and Washington State, USA. These premiums contribute to the gender wage gap through two channels: women's concentration in lower-paying firms (sorting) and women receiving lower premiums than men within the same firm (pay-setting). We find that firm wage premiums account for 10 to 30 percent of the gender wage gap. While both mechanisms matter, sorting is the predominant driver of the firm contribution to the gender wage gap in most countries. We document three patterns that are broadly consistent across countries: (1) women's sorting into lower-paying firms increases with age; (2)women are more concentrated in low-paying firms with a high share of part-time workers; and (3) women receive about 90 percent of the rents that men receive from firm surplus gains." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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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Pasanen, Tiia-Maria, Satu Helske, Giovanni Amerigo Giuliani, Simon N. Chapman & Jouni Helske (2025): Adaptation to paternal leave policies in Finnish municipalities: changing gender norms and cross-border policy legacies. In: European Societies, S. 1-27. DOI:10.1162/euso.a.43

Abstract

"Countries where public opinion tends to favour gender equality tend to invest in policies supporting the dual-earner family model or the earner–carer family model, while countries where public opinion is more inclined to support conservative gender norms tend to have policies supporting the male breadwinner family model. However, even though gender equality norms may be endorsed by the majority of the population, conservative norms could still be largely supported at the sub-national level, potentially leading to lower responses to policy reforms intending to boost gender-equal practices. This study examines shifting norms in fathers’ parental leave uptake in Finnish municipalities in the 2010s, around a reform that gave fathers an independent right to a 6-week quota of “solo” parental leave. We applied a Bayesian spatio-temporal model on administrative data from Finnish municipalities and approximated local norms based on voting data. We also used the proportion of Swedish-speaking residents as a proxy for cross-border policy influences from the neighbouring country Sweden, where paternal leave-taking has been practiced longer. Local support to de-familialising policies was found to predict higher leavetaking, but only under a less supportive policy configuration. The proportion of Swedish-speaking residents was found to be increasingly important for predicting paternal leave-taking. We interpret this as a sign of cross-border influences from Sweden. Interestingly, uptake increased the fastest in a more conservative region, probably due to its strong linguistic and cultural links to Sweden. Furthermore, we observed spatial dependencies between neighbouring municipalities, which supports our spillover hypothesis; that interactions among families nearby lead them to adopt new practices." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Pepin, Gabrielle (2025): The Effects of Child Care Subsidies on Paid Child Care Participation and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from the Child and Dependent Care Credit. In: ILR review, Jg. 78, H. 4, S. 645-666. DOI:10.1177/00197939251329844

Abstract

"The Child and Dependent Care Credit (CDCC), a tax credit based on income and child care expenses, reduces child care costs for working families. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act expanded the CDCC in 2003, generating differential increases in generosity across states and family sizes. Using data from the March Current Population Survey, the author finds that a $100 increase in CDCC generosity increases paid child care participation by 0.6 percentage points among single mothers and 2.2 percentage points among married mothers with children younger than 13 years old. The author also finds that CDCC benefits increase labor supply among married mothers, who may experience long-run earnings gains. Results suggest large returns on investment to expanding the CDCC for secondary earners but that single and low-income mothers may benefit more from other programs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Pepin, Joanna R. & William J. Scarborough (2025): What Makes a Decision Fair? Relative Earnings, Gender, and Justifications for Couples’ Decision-Making. In: American journal of sociology, Jg. 130, H. 6, S. 1435-1476. DOI:10.1086/735618

Abstract

"This article builds on research demonstrating that inequality is widely accepted when it resultsfrom practices that are perceived to be fair. Using a survey experiment on a nationally representative sample of US adults (n = 3,978), the study adds new insight into the mechanisms that sustain gender inequality in relationships. Findings show that Americans’ beliefs About gender are relied on more often than economic explanations to diminish concerns aboutunfairness in decision-making. Respondents were more likely to view decisions as fair when made by women, even though respondents often drew on seemingly gender-neutral allocationrules to justify decision-making. Topic modeling of open-ended explanations also exposed howbeliefs about gender are incorporated into fairness perceptions in ways that sustain men’sauthority. The authors argue that the empirical patterns underpinning subjective perceptions offairness are fundamental to understanding the persistence of inequality in gendered divisions ofcognitive, emotional, and domestic labor." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Pereda-Fernández, Santiago (2025): Decomposition of Differences in Distribution under Sample Selection and the Gender Wage Gap. In: Journal of Business and Economic Statistics, Jg. 43, H. 2, S. 378-390. DOI:10.1080/07350015.2024.2385823

Abstract

"I address the decomposition of the differences between the distribution of outcomes of two groups when individuals self-select themselves into participation. I differentiate between the decomposition for participants and the entire population, highlighting how the primitive components of the model affect each of the distributions of outcomes. Additionally, I introduce two ancillary decompositions that help uncover the sources of differences in the distribution of unobservables and participation between the two groups. The estimation is done using existing quantile regression methods, for which I show how to perform uniformly valid inference. I illustrate these methods by revisiting the gender wage gap, finding that changes in female participation and self-selection have been the main drivers for reducing the gap." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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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Petts, Richard J., Reilly Kincaid, Trenton D. Mize & Gayle Kaufman (2025): Gone too long or back too soon? Perceptions of paid parental leave‐taking and variations by gender and family structure. In: Journal of Marriage and Family, Jg. 87, H. 5, S. 1865-1888. DOI:10.1111/jomf.13101

Abstract

"Objective: This study examines perceptions of paid leave-taking itself and variations in these perceptions by parent gender, sexual orientation, and marital status. Background: Previous research largely focuses on the consequences associated with leave-taking, particularly highlighting workplace penalties associated with leave-taking. There has also been limited attention to workers with diverse family forms. We seek to better understand the culture surrounding paid parental leave in the U.S. by focusing on evaluations of leave-taking itself and whether such evaluations may reduce or exacerbate inequalities by gender, sexual orientation, and marital status. Method: We use data on 2964 U.S. respondents from a survey experiment in which employer-offered paid parental leave-taking, parent gender, sexual orientation, and marital status were randomly assigned. We use OLS models to assess perceptions of paid leave-taking and the causal effects of parent gender, sexual orientation, and marital status on these perceptions. Results: We find that respondents view 11 weeks of paid parental leave as the right amount of leave, on average. We also find variations in perceptions of leave-taking by parent gender, sexual orientation, and marital status; mothers with husbands and single parents are viewed more favorably for taking longer leaves than fathers with wives, mothers with wives, and fathers with husbands. Conclusion: There is increasing support for paid leave within the U.S., but support for parents' leave-taking largely reflects gendered stereotypes and may reinforce broader patterns of gender inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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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Portier, Camille (2025): Occupational autonomy, paid maternity leave, and mothers' return to work after childbirth. In: Journal of Marriage and Family, Jg. 87, H. 4, S. 1571-1595. DOI:10.1111/jomf.13089

Abstract

"Objective: This study formulates and tests a resource substitution hypothesis, examining whether mothers rely more on occupational autonomy to balance work and childrearing when paid maternity leave is unavailable. Background: The tension between working for pay and caring for young children is crucial to understanding women's employment trajectories, especially in the United States, with its limited formal support for mothers around childbirth. In this context, occupational characteristics such as autonomy may serve as an important resource for working women to draw upon during the transition to motherhood. Method: Using data from the first 19 rounds of the NLSY97 (N = 1813) and the O*NET, the author estimates logistic models and discrete‐time event history models to consider the relationship between occupational autonomy, use of paid leave, and whether and when mothers come back to work after childbirth. Results: The results highlight the nature of autonomy as a valuable resource in the transition back to work and confirm the resource substitution hypothesis. Mothers in occupations with greater autonomy are not only more likely to return to work after childbirth but also do so more promptly, particularly in the absence of paid leave. Conclusion: These findings are significant, given the enduring impact of post‐childbirth career breaks and the limited access to paid leave in the United States. They underscore the potential of occupational autonomy in mitigating the adverse effects of motherhood on career progression and in reducing disparities among mothers across various labor market sectors." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Reaves, John, Hope O. Akaeze, Holli A. Schlukebir, Steven R. Miller, Henry O. Akaeze & Jamie Heng-Chieh Wu (2025): More Care, More Workers? Gauging the Impact of Child Care Access on Labor Force Participation. In: Social Sciences, Jg. 14, H. 8. DOI:10.3390/socsci14080458

Abstract

"This study investigates the critical link between child care accessibility and local labor force participation, addressing a gap in current research that often lacks local spatial granularity. While over half of the U.S. population resides in child care deserts, disproportionately affecting rural, low-income, and minority communities, the economic implications for local labor markets remain underexplored. Leveraging Michigan child care license data and Census tract-level demographic and employment characteristics, this research employs a spatial econometric approach to estimate the impact of geographic distance to child care facilities on labor supply using descriptive data. Our findings consistently demonstrate that increased distance to child care is significantly associated with reduced labor force participation. While female labor force participation is lower in areas with constrained access to child care, we also found that households with two parents are also less likely to have full labor force participation when access to child care is constrained. The cost-effective framework used here can be replicated to identify specific communities most impacted by child care-related employment disruptions. The analytical findings can be instrumental in targeting and prioritizing child care policy interventions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Recchi, Sara, Anne-Iris Romens & Gemma Scalise (2025): Post-pandemic remote work and the Italian care model: constraint or opportunity? In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, Jg. 45, H. 13/14, S. 19-33. DOI:10.1108/ijssp-10-2024-0497

Abstract

"Purpose: Building on Mary Daly’s typology of care policies, this article explores whether and to what extent remote work in post-pandemic times is still considered a tool to cope with the limits of care measures, despite the exit from the emergency phase. We argue that in countries characterized by a familialistic care regime, such as Italy, there is a risk that the adoption of remote work may be distorted by limited conciliation tools and care provisions and fosters gender inequalities. Design/methodology/approach The article is based on a case study on Milan, which is an interesting context for multiple reasons. Italy is characterised by limited conciliation tools, weak childcare provisions and significant gender inequalities in the labor market, but in Milan female employment is well above the national average and remote work is more widespread. The research is qualitatively driven, as it is built upon interviews with remote workers, HR managers and union officials. These data are completed with a survey that involved 285 remote workers. Findings Remote work continues to be used by parents as a substitute tool to compensate for underdeveloped public care services and employment-related provisions. Moreover, this practice affects gender inequalities, as women are more inclined to perform their tasks remotely overtime and in spaces not dedicated to work. Originality/value While several studies have stressed the impact of remote work on work-life balance and the unequal gender distribution of care work during the pandemic, there is little knowledge about what is happening in the post-pandemic period." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Roos, Louisa (2025): The true gender pay gap: Accounting for the distribution of unpaid labour. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 247. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2024.112144

Abstract

"This paper proposes a novel method to measure gender pay gaps, incorporating paid and unpaid labour. Decomposition analysis using Swiss labour force data attributes a sizable and persistent share of this pay gap to segregation across paid and unpaid work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))

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Rosenbaum, Philip (2025): Counting the days: parenthood and the gender gap in absenteeism. In: Applied Economics, S. 1-19. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2025.2564467

Abstract

"This study is the first to estimate the effect of parenthood on total job absences, including both short- and long-term spells. Unlike prior work on formal sick leave records, I incorporate day-to-day absences, which account for most absence events and reflect broader margins of health and time strain. I find that mothers’ absences increase by 1.25 days per month 2 years after birth, stabilizing at 0.85 days – a 4.6–5.7% loss in annual workdays. The penalty is driven mainly by mothers’ own sickness and concentrated in long spells. It is largely unaffected by working hour or within-couple bargaining power. These findings uncover an overlooked mechanism behind the child penalty and deepen our understanding of gender inequality in labour supply." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Scoppa, Vincenzo & Idola Francesca Spanò (2025): Do Women Ask for Less? Evidence from Reservation Wages in Italy. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18230), Bonn, 21 S.

Abstract

"Gender gaps in labor market outcomes have traditionally been attributed to differences in individual productivity or to discrimination. More recently, several studies have documented the role of gender differences in psychological attitudes. Rather than using data on realized wages, we rely on data on reservation wages – the lowest wage workers are willing to accept – for a sample of Italian graduates. Reservation wages reflect individual attitudes and beliefs more directly, while being less affected by employer discrimination. We first relate reservation wages to educational background, individual characteristics, and family background, and investigate how they depend on labor market expectations. We then analyze how reservation wages depend on preferences over specific job attributes, such as permanent positions, geographical mobility, etc. Applying the Gelbach decomposition to quantify the contribution of each factors, we find a substantial role for preferences for job attributes and expectations. However, our estimates reveal a large unexplained component which is likely driven by gender differences in psychological and social attitudes, such as risk aversion, overconfidence and adherence to social norms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Senik, Claudia & Elena Stancanelli (2025): A Room of One's Own. Work from Home and the Gendered Allocation of Time. (Paris-Jourdan Science Economiques. Working paper 2025-13), Paris, 30 S.

Abstract

"The traditional specialization of men in paid work and women in housework is rooted in the spatial separation of these activities. We examine the possible consequences of the recent expansion of Work from Home (WfH) for the gendered allocation of time. We focus on the time devoted to housework by men and women who work from home versus at the workplace, before and after the Covid pandemic. Using data on several thousand workers drawn from the American Time Use Survey, we find that the gender gap in unpaid work has declined by about 27 minutes per day, i.e. by about 40% for remote workers. Among those, women now spend more time on paid work and less on unpaid work, whereas men do more household chores." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Simintzi, Elena, Sheng-Jun Xu & Ting Xu (2025): The Effect of Childcare Access on Women's Careers and Firm Performance. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 33835), Cambridge, Mass, 72 S.

Abstract

"We study the effects of government-subsidized childcare on women's careers and firm outcomes using linked tax filing data. Exploiting cohort-level variation in childcare access based on a Quebec universal childcare reform, we show that earlier access to childcare not only increases new mothers' employment and earnings, but also prompts them to reallocate careers to firms previously unattractive to new mothers. These firms subsequently benefited from the reform, drawing more young, productive female workers and experiencing better performance. Our results suggest that childcare frictions hamper women's career progression and the allocation of human capital in the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Smyk, Magdalena (2025): Domestic Labor in the Shadow of Paid Work: A Gendered US Time-Use Analysis. (GRAPE working paper / Group for Research in Applied Economics 108), Warszawa, 23 S., App.

Abstract

"Using data from the American Time Use Survey and hurdle regression models, this study examines how the gender composition of occupations relates to time spent on housework and childcare. We find that women in male-dominated occupations spend more time on housework than those in female-dominated or gender-neutral fields, suggesting that breaking occupational norms in the labor market does not necessarily translate into less traditional domestic roles. Such mothers are less likely to engage in childcare, although when involved spent the same amount of time on childcare and quality time, and higher earnings are associated with more time spent with children. For men, the patterns differ: fathers in gender-neutral or female-dominated occupations are more likely to participate in childcare and devote more time to it, while those in male-dominated jobs are more likely to report no childcare at all. Increased paternal childcare does not coincide with more housework, indicating a selective reallocation of time. The findings highlight the need for policies that address both occupational segregation and the domestic division of labor to promote gender equality at work and at home." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Sockin, Jason & Michael Sockin (2025): A Pay Scale of Their Own: Gender Differences in Variable Pay. (CESifo working paper 11608), München, 67 S.

Abstract

"In the United States and other large economies, women receive less variable pay than men, even within the same firms and job titles. We argue this disparity in pay partly reflects labor market sorting. Since women are less-represented in more variable-pay-intensive jobs, even within occupations, women accumulate less variable pay over time. Women apply relatively less often to and early in their careers separate faster from such roles. Compared with their male peers, women perceive variable-paying jobs as offering worse amenities, including culture, work-life balance, and paid family leave. Compensation schemes appear to induce disparities in pay through worker sorting." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Suh, Eileen Y., Evan P. Apfelbaum & Michael I. Norton (2025): How Psychological Barriers Constrain Men’s Interest in Gender-Atypical Jobs and Facilitate Occupational Segregation. In: Organization Science, Jg. 36, H. 4, S. 1314-1332. DOI:10.1287/orsc.2023.17550

Abstract

"Scholarship regarding occupational gender segregation has almost exclusively focused on women’s experiences (e.g., as targets of discrimination in masculine domains), yet understanding factors that perpetuate men’s underrepresentation in traditionally feminine occupations is equally important. We examine a consequential dynamic early in the job search process in which individuals come to learn that an occupation that fits them is perceived as feminine versus masculine. Our research develops and tests the prediction that femininity or masculinity of occupations will exert a stronger impact on men’s (versus women’s) interest in them such that men will be less interested in gender-atypical occupations than women. Across five studies (n = 4,477), we consistently observed robust evidence for this prediction among diverse samples, including high school students (Study 1), unemployed job seekers (Study 2), U.S. adults (Study 3), and undergraduates (Study 4) and using experimental and archival methods. We observed this asymmetry after controlling for alternative accounts related to economic factors (e.g., expected salary), suggesting that they alone cannot fully explain men’s lack ofinterest in feminine occupations as previously discussed in the literature. Further, we consistently observed that men, compared with women, show heightened sensitivity to gender-based occupational status, and this greater sensitivity explains men’s (versus women’s) reduced interest in gender-atypical occupations. Though past scholarship suggests that increasing pay is key to stoking men’s interest in feminine occupations, our research suggests that targeting men’s underlying psychological concern—sensitivity to gender-based occupational status—may be an underappreciated pathway to reducing gender segregation. Supplemental Material: The data, materials, preregistration, and ancillary analyses for all studies are available at https://osf.io/h4mgx/?view_only=9a4dbfc9d122417c880354d6b3462072 and at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.17550 ." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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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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Valentova, Marie, Roland Maas & Alison Koslowski (2025): Parental Leave Challenges From the Perspective of Employers: Understanding Sectors With Low Take‐Up by Fathers. In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 32, H. 5, S. 1966-1981. DOI:10.1111/gwao.13259

Abstract

"Parental leave policies are designed to facilitate the reconciliation of family and work life. Usage of leave is related to various factors, including the parent's gender, as well as their workplace and employer's characteristics. A wealth of research has explored employees' perceptions of the role of workplaces on leave-taking, yet considerably less is known about the perspective of employers. This paper examines the challenges employers face while implementing parental leave reforms aimed at increasing take up by men. We conducted semi-structured interviews with staff responsible for implementing leave in Luxembourg-based companies where low take-up by fathers is most prevalent. We explore the perceptions of difficulties related to leave usage that companies encounter. The results show that that full-time leave remains the most common choice, while part-time or split leave is less utilized. The employers in the study report difficulties in reorganizing work, finding replacements, and reintegrating employees. The organization of replacement cover appears more challenging when employees take full-time rather than part-time leave and when employees with a highly-specialized job (irrespective of their level of education) take parental leave. These employers tend to cope with replacement issues by negotiating with employees to take more informal forms of leave or by simply not hiring employees in a certain life stage." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Verick, Sher (2025): Female labor force participation and development. Improving outcomes for women takes more than raising labor force participation - good jobs are important too. (IZA world of labor 87), Bonn, 11 S. DOI:10.15185/izawol.87.v3

Abstract

"Der Zusammenhang zwischen der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung eines Landes und der Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen wird durch den Verlauf von Wirtschaftswachstum und Bildungserwerb, durch Geburtenraten, soziale Normen und andere Faktoren geprägt. Die Erwerbsquote zeichnet nur ein Teilbild der Frauenbeschäftigung und lässt Aussagen über ihre Qualität nur eingeschränkt zu. Deren Verbesserung kann nur unter Berücksichtigung von angebots- und nachfrageseitigen Aspekten erreicht werden. Ein erleichterter Zugang zu sekundärer und höherer Bildung ist dabei entscheidend, muss aber mit der Schaffung von passenden Jobs für Frauen einhergehen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Wagner, Sander, Andreas Filser, Pascal Achard & Inga Marie Amend (2025): Gender Inequalities and Motherhood Penalties across French and German Local Labor Markets. In: Socius, Jg. 11, S. 1-5., 2025-08-08. DOI:10.1177/23780231251374110

Abstract

"This data visualization examines the relationship between motherhood earnings penalties and gender earnings gaps across local labor markets in France and Germany. Drawing on harmonized administrative data, the authors document a strong positive association: regions with larger motherhood penalties tend to exhibit wider gender earnings gaps. This pattern holds across all Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics second-division regions, where a 1 percent increase in the motherhood penalty corresponds to a 0.3 percent higher gender earnings gap. The relationship is even stronger within countries, with the average association rising to 0.7 percent. These findings suggest that regional differences in gender earnings inequality are strongly associated with the magnitude of motherhood penalties." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))