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

Abstract

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

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Broadway, Barbara & Guyonne Kalb (2025): The Effect of Separation on Poverty and Employment. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18343), Bonn, 75 S.

Abstract

"Using 2001–2021 HILDA survey data, this paper estimates how separation or divorce affects poverty and employment trajectories over five years after the event. A difference-in-differences approach compares separated individuals with couples who stayed together, accounting for recent and long-term labour market history prior to separation. Women with preschool children face a 19.9 percentage point higher poverty risk in the first year, which fades within three years. Women with older or no children experience smaller but longer-lasting poverty increases. Pre-separation employment strongly moderates effects: non-employed women face much higher poverty risks than employed women who have similar poverty risks to men. Men's poverty impacts are smaller and shorter-lived. Separation barely changes women's employment but slightly reduces men's employment, especially those with preschool children." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Caparrós Ruiz, Antonio (2025): Gender wage gap among highly educated workers: some evidence from Spain. In: Journal of Economic Studies, Jg. 52, H. 6, S. 1171-1188. DOI:10.1108/jes-06-2024-0371

Abstract

"Purpose: The study aims to estimate wage models controlled for sample selection bias and apply the traditional Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition to examine the genderwage gap. Design/methodology/Approach: This research provides new evidence concerning the drivers of the gender pay gap for highly educated workers in Spain. Findings: The results show the existence of empirical evidence about the presence of the gender wage gap among tertiary-educated workers. An interesting conclusion is that holding a master’s degree hasa positive impact since it diminishes the unexplained component of the gender pay gap. Research limitations/implications: The survey used only analyses the labor insertion of tertiary-educated workers and its temporal scope does not allow us to examine the evolution of the gender wage gap throughout their careers. Social implications: The findings indicate that there is room for the implementation of policies aimed at diminishing gender inequality in the labor market even for highly educated workers, which could complement the current Spanish labor legislation regulating the gender pay gap in firms. Originality/value: This paper bridges two bodies of the economic literature: human capital returns and the gender wage gap. The data used represent a contribution to the economic literature." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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Cobb-Clark, Deborah A., Tung Dang & Hayley Fisher (2025): Daycare Accessibility and Maternal Labor Market Outcomes: Do Quality Ratings Matter? (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18300), Bonn, 43 S.

Abstract

"Using administrative data on Australian daycare centers and a triple-difference design, we examine the impact of daycare availability and quality ratings on childcare utilization and mothers' labor market outcomes. We document a substantial positive impact of daycare availability and higher quality ratings on formal care usage and mothers' employment and earnings. The effect of quality ratings is particularly pronounced among high-income, more-educated, and first-time mothers, whose perceptions of local daycare quality are most responsive to changes in ratings. Our findings underscore the important roles of childcare quality, in addition to accessibility, in shaping families' childcare choices and mothers' employment decisions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Doan, Tinh, Liana Leach & Lyndall Strazdins (2025): The Economic Costs of Men's Long Work Hours for Women: Evidence on the Gender Wage Earnings Gap from Australia and Germany. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 179, H. 2, S. 1073-1100. DOI:10.1007/s11205-025-03647-1

Abstract

"Women’s earnings inequality persists, despite policy efforts to reduce discrimination and gender bias. Gender gaps in earnings, however, are a function of hours worked as well as wage rates, and reflect gendered short and long work hour patterns. Within households, how partners exchange time is a crucial driver of hours worked yet this is rarely incorporated into analysis of gender earning gaps. Using a two-stage instrumental variable Oaxaca- Blinder decomposition we model earnings gaps as a function of own and partner hours on and off the job. This enables us to estimate what the gender gap in hours and earnings would look like without a gendered time ‘subsidy’ or ‘borrowing’ in the home. We studied dual-earner households in two countries, Australia and Germany, finding a weekly earnings gap of AUD$536 and €400. This was accompanied by a weekly work hour gap of 12 h in Australia and 13 in Germany. When we accounted for the influence of partner’s hours (paid or unpaid), work hour gaps reduce to 5.1 h in Australian households (58% reduction), and to 6.9 h in German (47% reduction). In effect, women would work 3 to 4 h more each week, and men’s long hours would reduce, narrowing the gender earnings gaps by 43% in Australia and 25% in Germany, if time ‘subsidies’ in the home were eliminated. Our analysis reveals the economic cost to women long work hour cultures impose." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Ehab, Maye & Fatma Mossad (2025): Informal employment in the health sector: Examining gender disparities. In: International Journal of Social Welfare, Jg. 34, H. 2, 2024-09-20. DOI:10.1111/ijsw.12704

Abstract

"This paper investigates the association between informal employment as a form of non-standard employment and the prevalence of in-work poverty for women in the health sector. We measured in-work poverty using a binary indicator that provides information on whether an individual has earnings above or below the low earnings threshold. The indicator takes into account household size and whether other household members are also in paid work. Using data from the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey for the years 2012 and 2018 and logit models, we found that being employed within the health sector increased the likelihood of in-work poverty among non-standard employees, both men and women. However, higher risks of in-work poverty were witnessed among women working informally in the health sector compared to other sectors. This increased risk was particularly observed when comparing non-standard employment in the health sector to non-standard employment in non-health sectors. Furthermore, marital status plays a critical role in economic wellbeing, with never-married women being more susceptible to in-work poverty compared to ever-married women." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Wiley) ((en))

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

Abstract

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

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

Abstract

"Between 2017 and 2021, Spain progressively extended paternity leave from 2 to 16 weeks, equalizing it with maternity leave and introducing mandatory weeks. A 2018 reform also allowed fathers to split their leave. Using administrative data on all leave permits since 2016, we analyze trends in paternity leave take-up. Following the introduction of mandatory leave, the share of fathers taking leave increased by around 20 percentage points, and most now use nearly the full entitlement. The share opting to split leave has steadily grown, surpassing 50% by 2023. However, this behavior shows marked heterogeneity: while overall uptake is uniform across groups, leave-splitting is far more common among higher-income fathers and more prevalent in certain sectors. Spain’s experience illustrates how policy design can significantly increase paternity leave usage, though workplace flexibility and income-related constraints shape how fathers use that time." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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

Abstract

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

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Galego, Aurora (2025): Recent trends in the gender wage gap in Portugal: a distributional analysis. In: Applied Economics Letters, Jg. 32, H. 3, S. 369-372. DOI:10.1080/13504851.2023.2270223

Abstract

"Portugal displays a persistent gender wage gap which increased during the 2010-2013 economic crisis. This paper aims at examining the developments in the gender wage gap for the private sector from 2009 to 2019 using a decomposition across the wage distribution. We conclude that the gap has decreased at the lower and middle quantiles but remains quite wide at the top. The largest part of the gap stems from the structure effect, which suggests persistent discrimination." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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

Abstract

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

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García‐Mainar, Inmaculada, Pablo García‐Ruiz & Victor M. Montuenga (2025): Gender and Occupational Prestige. Testing the Devaluation Theory in Spain. In: Gender and Occupational Prestige. Testing the Devaluation Theory in Spain, Jg. 32, H. 5, S. 1982-1993. DOI:10.1111/gwao.13262

Abstract

"The devaluation theory, that is, that occupations where women predominate become less socially valued than those where men are in the majority, has not reached a unanimous conclusion in the empirical literature, especially when prestige is used as an indicator of the valuation of the occupation. The changing economic and social circumstances may influence the fulfillment of this hypothesis over time. Using regression analysis, this article tests the adequacy of the devaluation theory in the Spanish labor market at two points in time, 1991 and 2013. Previously, it also describes and analyzes whether the ordering of occupations has changed substantially in this period, using two different comparable scales. The results confirm a weakening in the support of the devaluation theory such that gender segregation of occupations does not necessarily imply differences in their social valuation. This result can be attributed to (i) the increase of prestige in some feminized occupations and (ii) the increase of women's participation in prestigious occupations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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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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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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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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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))