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Giuliani, Giovanni Amerigo (2023): The gender dimension of outsiderness in Western Europe: a comparative cross-model analysis. In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, Jg. 43, H. 13/14, S. 62-78. DOI:10.1108/IJSSP-12-2022-0317

Abstract

"Purpose: The article investigates whether and to what extent outsiderness is gendered in Western Europe, both in terms of its spread and degree. It thus explores which male and female post-Fordist social classes are more exposed to the risk of this phenomenon. It also scrutinizes whether such a gendered characterization has varied over time and across clusters of Western European countries. Design/methodology/approach Relying on a comparative analysis of the data provided by the European Social Survey (ESS) dataset and comparing two points in time –the early/mid-2000s and the late 2010s – the work provides both a dichotomous and continuous variable of outsiderness, which measure its spread and degree in the female and male workforces of a pooled set of growth models. Findings The empirical analysis shows that outsiderness is profoundly gendered in Western Europe and thus a feminized social phenomenon. However, the comparative investigation highlights that outsiderness has been genderized in diverse ways across the four growth models. Different patterns of gendered outsiderness can be identified. Originality/value The article provides a comparative and diachronic analysis of outsiderness from a gender lens, putting into a mutual dialogue different literature on labour market, and shows that outsiderness represents a key analytical dimension for assessing gender inequalities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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Köppl-Turyna, Monika & Nikolaus Graf (2023): Kinderbetreuung und Vereinbarkeit im internationalen Vergleich: Update des EcoAustria Scoreboard-Indikators. (Policy note / EcoAustria - Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung 54), Wien, 21 S.

Abstract

"Die Verfügbarkeit qualitativ hochwertiger, örtlich erreichbarer, zeitlich flexibler Kinderbetreuung stellt eine Grundvoraussetzung der Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Familie dar. Österreich weist eine überdurchschnittliche Erwerbsbeteiligung von Müttern auf, zugleich findet diese Erwerbsbeteiligung sehr häufig in Form von Teilzeitbeschäftigung statt. Teilzeitbeschäftigung stellt wieder mit, eine Ursache für geschlechtsspezifische Ungleichheiten am Arbeitsmarkt dar. Institutionelle Kinderbetreuung kann die Arbeitsmarktteilnahme von Müttern befördern und zu einer Ausweitung der Arbeitszeit führen. Zugleich gehen von Kinderbetreuung positive Effekte auf die Bildungsergebnisse und auf die schulische Integration bildungsbenachteiligter Kinder aus. In Anbetracht der aktuellen Arbeitskräfteknappheit kann eine Ausweitung der Erwerbsintegration von Müttern eine Option darstellen, die Nachfrage nach Arbeitskräften zu decken. Kurzum: Von Kinderbetreuung gehen viele positive, gesellschaftlich und politisch erwünschte Effekte aus. Dennoch: Trotz der in der jüngeren Vergangenheit erzielten Fortschritte sind etwa bei der Betreuung von Kleinkindern unter drei Jahren und im Hinblick auf verlängerte flexible Öffnungszeiten am Tagesrand sowie Schließtage während den Ferien Aufholpotenziale insbesondere in ländlichen Regionen gegeben. [...]" (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Lütolf, Meret & Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen (2023): Do households live the family model they prefer? Household's work patterns across European policy regimes. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 21, H. 3, S. 1421-1443. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwac023

Abstract

"Studies have investigated the equalizing effect of childcare provision and parental leave schemes on gendered work patterns. However, as the relationship between policies and individual time allocations to paid work is complex and challenging to empirically assess, previous research has clarified single aspects of this complexity. The present study theoretically and empirically combines a household perspective by considering the work behaviors of two partners within one household (i.e. a household's lived family model) with a comparative approach to systematically analyze relationships between specific policy designs and households' paid work patterns in a large sample. The findings imply that extensive childcare policies are systematically related to an egalitarian household organization, mostly among those with small children. This association can be observed across households with varying levels of egalitarian norms. Conversely, the findings suggest that the current design of parental leave policies in the 21 European countries does not allow for a true assessment of the potential of leave schemes to influence the within-household division of labor." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Picatoste, Xose, Anabela Mesquita & Fernando González-Laxe (2023): Gender wage gap, quality of earnings and gender digital divide in the European context. In: Empirica, Jg. 50, H. 2, S. 301-321. DOI:10.1007/s10663-022-09555-8

Abstract

"One of the leading national and international objectives is to achieve more egalitarian societies. Avoiding gender or digital gaps are priorities generally assumed as concerns of governments and international organizations. This paper evaluates the digital gender divide in its three stages: access, use and results, relating it to gender and salary gaps in the context of the European Union. Cluster analysis was conducted to classify the countries according to their gender digital divide. The influence of age and studies level of males and females was revised. Based on the OECD and EUROSTAT data, an empirical analysis was conducted. By comparison of means, the significant variables influencing the gender digital divide were identified, probing that the educational level significantly influences it, especially in what refers to the third stage. Finally, through a regression analysis, it was proved that the influence of the insecurity and the gender wage gap goes beyond the women and affects society." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Scherer, Stefani & Emmanuele Pavolini (2023): Equalizing or not? Public childcare and women's labour market participation. In: Journal of European Social Policy, Jg. 33, H. 4, S. 436-450. DOI:10.1177/09589287231183169

Abstract

"Within the scientific literature and debate on social investment, public childcare provision plays a pivotal role. At the same time, critics have argued that social investment is often unable to reduce social inequalities and, to the contrary, tends to reproduce them (the so-called ‘Matthew effect’). The article focuses on a specific facet of social investment policies: their capacity to support mothers’ employment and its effect on social inequality, by investigating empirically to what extent an expansion of public childcare can help to increase women’s labour market participation and how this eventual support is homogenously distributed among different mothers’ profiles. To give a convincing answer to such a question requires careful attention to methodology, in order to avoid drawing the wrong conclusions. Whereas existing research has predominately focused on cross-national variation and has often been static in nature, the present study assesses the effects of public childcare expansion on women’s labour market participation and employment by examining region-specific within-variation over time of public childcare coverage. The study relies on data from the European Social Survey (2002–2018) that were integrated with an original collection of regional-level information on public childcare. It finds a positive association between increases in public childcare coverage and mothers’ labour market participation. Furthermore, it shows that public childcare helps to fight social inequalities among households with young children. Low-educated mothers are the ones who profit most from an increase in public childcare, and positive employment effects are most pronounced at lower levels of childcare coverage. Therefore, this contribution highlights the importance of public childcare policies as an equalizer in society, especially in contexts in which an intervention is most needed, because expanding childcare fosters mothers’ labour market participation" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Seo, Hyojin (2023): Gendered labour market patterns across Europe: Does family policy mitigate feminization of outsiders? In: Journal of European Social Policy, Jg. 33, H. 1, S. 3-16. DOI:10.1177/09589287221148916

Abstract

"Studies have shown positive impact of family policies on women’s labour market participation over the last decades. How, then, does it influence the types of jobs women obtain when they (re-)enter the labour market? Using multi-level modelling, this study examines how different work–family balance policies (that is, leave policies, childcare services) shape gendered labour market patterns and whether or not it mitigates women’s overrepresentation among the labour market Outsiders across Europe. I use European Working Conditions Survey 2015 data and cover 30 European countries. Specifically focusing on women’s relative likelihood of being labour market Outsiders compared to men, I find that certain policies help women avoid being Outsiders, while the others may reinforce the existing gender inequality in the labour market. This resonates with the welfare state paradox and family policy trade-off literature that the policies that do not disrupt the gender norms may in turn maintain or enhance them." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Zacchia, Giulia & Izaskun Zuazu (2023): The Wage Effect of Workplace Sexual Harassment: Evidence for Women in Europe. (Working papers / Institute for New Economic Thinking 205), Institute for New Economic Thinking 27 S. DOI:10.36687/inetwp205

Abstract

"This article contributes to the literature on wage discrimination by examining the consequences of sexual harassment in the workplace on wages for women in Europe. We model the empirical relationship between sexual harassment risk and wages for European women employees using individual-level data provided by the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS, Eurostat). We find that sexual harassment risk has a negative and statistically significant effect on wages of -0.03% on average for women in Europe. However, our empirical analysis uncovers the importance of considering the dynamics of workplace power relations: analyzing individual-level data, we find evidence of a higher negative impact of sexual harassment risk on wages for women working in counter-stereotypical occupations. We conclude that the wage effect of hostile working conditions, mainly in terms of sexual harassment risk in the workplace, should be considered and monitored as a first critical step in making women be less vulnerable at work and increasing their bargaining power, thereby reducing inequalities in working conditions and pay in Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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(2023): Quarterly Review of Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) - April 2023. (Employment and social developments in Europe : Quarterly review), Luxembourg, 25 S.

Abstract

"The thematic part of this review focuses on gender segregation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and healthcare occupations across EU Member States. This is an important topic in the context of the upcoming European Year of Skills, because gender segregation can both limit the efficiency of matching labour supply with demand and results in suboptimal use of women’s and men’s talents. The thematic focus shows that both STEM and healthcare occupations are heavily gender segregated in nearly all Member States. It highlights that in many countries, much of the existing segregation is explained by the fact that female and male workers tend to hold qualifications in different study fields – this applies particularly in the case of STEM occupations. Finally, it demonstrates that in most Member States, desegregation offers an important opportunity to attract new workers into STEM and healthcare occupations facing shortages." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Alcidi, Cinzia & Alexandre Ounnas (2022): Can the Pay Transparency Directive close the gender pay gap? (CEPS policy insights 2022-06), Brussels, 10 S.

Abstract

"Today, our thoughts go out to all women who have had to flee Ukraine to escape horror and to save their children, and to all those women who have remained behind to help defend their homeland. To those men and women who have the chance to live in (still) peaceful EU countries, we want to recall that gender equality remains a top priority. In the EU, major progress has been made in advancing women’s rights over the past 25 years but challenges still remain, especially on the labour market. The gender pay gap is definitely not yet closed. Despite progress over the past few years, women in the EU are still paid less than men for equal work of equal value. In 2018, the gap was on average 14 %, and it is likely to have increased during the pandemic. In 2019, President von der Leyen put gender equality among the six priorities of her new Commission. In March 2021 the Commission published a proposal for a Directive to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms. Is pay transparency important to close the gender pay gap? The short answer is yes. Over time women have been closing gaps relative to men in education, labour market participation, and attitude; areas which typically (used to) explain the gap. Yet pay differences persist. New research points to within-company dynamics as one of the most significant contributors to the pay gap. The directive proposes to address it through transparency and information sharing. This is expected to reduce the gender pay gap, even though the implementation, and in particular the operationalisation of the concept of equal work, will pose challenges to companies, and eventually can negatively weigh on the overall benefits." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bartova, Alzbeta, Adeline Otto & Wim Van Lancker (2022): Making Parental Leave Policies Work for Single Mothers: Lessons from Europe. In: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Jg. 702, H. 1, S. 129-148. DOI:10.1177/00027162221134445

Abstract

"It is well documented that national parental leave policies encourage parents’ employment. Research on parental leave, though, has generally failed to draw lessons on how leave policy affects the employment and economic well-being of single parents. We examine the extent to which parental leave policies support the employment of single mothers with children under six years old across twenty-seven European countries, showing that single mothers are more likely to work and to work longer hours if they are eligible for parental leave. For single mothers who were not working before childbirth, eligibility for generous leave benefits and longer parental leave are associated with better employment outcomes after childbirth. We argue that while parental leave sustains employment for working single mothers, it might also facilitate entry into employment for nonworking mothers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bohmann, Sandra & Stefan Liebig (2022): Knapp ein Drittel der EuropäerInnen zweifelt an Chancengerechtigkeit auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. In: DIW-Wochenbericht, Jg. 89, H. 7, S. 97-106. DOI:10.18723/diw_wb:2022-7-3

Abstract

"Chancengerechtigkeit ist ein zentraler Bestandteil unserer Erwartungen an eine demokratische Gesellschaft. Dies gilt auch für den Arbeitsmarkt: Dieser Wochenbericht untersucht anhand von Befragungsdaten des European Social Survey 2018 (ESS), wie die europäischen Bürgerinnen und Bürger ihre Chancen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt ihrer Heimatländer einschätzen und welche Faktoren auf gesellschaftlicher und individueller Ebene dabei eine Rolle spielen. Etwa ein Drittel der Befragten ist skeptisch, was die allgemeine Chancengerechtigkeit auf dem Arbeitsmarkt in ihrem Land betrifft. Die eigenen Chancen schätzt immerhin die Hälfte der Befragten als gerecht ein. Sowohl die allgemeinen als auch die eigenen Chancen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt werden im Norden Europas etwas positiver bewertet als im Süden. Ohnehin benachteiligte Gruppen beurteilen auch ihre Arbeitsmarktchancen weniger positiv. Insgesamt zeigt sich ein klarer Zusammenhang zwischen der wahrgenommenen Changengerechtigkeit und der Zufriedenheit mit der Demokratie im eigenen Land." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Canaan, Serena, Anne Sophie Lassen, Philip Rosenbaum & Herdis Steingrimsdottir (2022): Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave: Evidence on the Economic Impact of Legislative Chances in High Income Countries. (IZA discussion paper 15129), Bonn, 48 S.

Abstract

"Labor market policies for expecting and new mothers emerged at the turn of the nineteenth century. The main motivation for these policies was to ensure the health of mothers and their newborn children. With increased female labor market participation, the focus has gradually shifted to the effects that parental leave policies have on women's labor market outcomes and gender equality. Proponents of extending parental leave rights for mothers in terms of duration, benefits, and job protection have argued that this will support mothers' labor market attachment and allow them to take time off from work after childbirth and then safely return to their pre-birth job. Others have pointed out that extended maternity leave can work as a double-edged sword for mothers: If young women are likely to spend months, or even years, on leave, employers are likely to take that into consideration when hiring and promoting their employees. These policies may therefore end up adversely affecting women's labor market outcomes. This has led to an increased focus on activating fathers to take parental leave, and in 2019, the European Parliament approved a directive requiring member states to ensure at least two months of earmarked paternity leave. The literature on parental leave has proliferated over the last couple of decades. The increased number of studies on the topic has brought forth some consistent findings. First, the introduction of short maternity leave is found to be beneficial for both maternal and child health and for mothers' labor market outcomes. Second, there appear to be negligible benefits from a leave extending beyond six months in terms of health out-comes and children's long-run outcomes. Furthermore, longer leaves have little, or even adverse, influence on mothers' labor market outcomes. However, some evidence suggests that there may be underlying heterogeneous effects from extended leaves among different socioeconomic groups. The literature on the effect of earmark" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Costantini, Anastasia & Alessia Sebillo (2022): Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in Social Economy Enterprises: Enablers and Barriers. (Working paper / CIRIEC 2022,02), Liège, 34 S.

Abstract

"Women remain underrepresented in the labour market. In the EU, they earn 14,1% less than men, and they still experience barriers to access and remain at the labour market (Eurostat, 2021a). Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the gender dimension of social and economic inequalities, producing a severe gender impact and the risk of economic marginalisation of women. Why do we expect the social and solidarity economy to improve gender equality at work? Therefore, the paper will discuss the potential and limits of the SEEs in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. The analysis has referenced existing literature and available information on the sector, including interviews with experts and illustrative cases within Diesis Network2, one of the broadest European networks supporting the social economy and social enterprise development. The aim is to show impactful solutions of SEEs and bring social and solidarity economy closer to the gender perspective to increase their impact in supporting inclusive and sustainable growth." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Korsgren, Pontus & Max van Lent (2022): Earmarked Paternity Leave and Well-Being. (IZA discussion paper 15022), Bonn, 24 S.

Abstract

"Earmarked paternity leave has been introduced in an attempt to increase fathers' involvement in child rearing and to achieve gender equality in the labor market and at home. So far well-being effects of such policies are unexplored. This paper takes a first step in that direction by studying the impact of earmarked paternity leave quota on life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and work-life balance using several policy changes in Europe over the period 1993-2007. We find that earmarked paternity leave increases life satisfaction by 0.18 on a 10 point scale which is equivalent to a 10.8 percentage point increase even decades later. Both fathers and mothers benefit, though the increase in life satisfaction for mothers is nearly 30% higher than that of fathers. Perhaps surprisingly, the impact on job satisfaction and work-life balance is close to zero. Hence even when the impact of paternity leave quota on the labor market are small, the increases in life satisfaction may still justify the existence of such policies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Matysiak, Anna, Daniela Bellani & Honorata Bogusz (2022): Industrial robots and fertility in European countries. (Working papers / Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw 2022-26), Warsaw, 65 S.

Abstract

"In this study we examine whether the long-term structural changes in the labour market, driven by automation, affect fertility. Adoption of industrial robots in the EU has tripled since the mid-1990s, tremendously changing the conditions of participating in the labour market. On the one hand, new jobs are created, benefitting largely the highly skilled workers. On the other hand, the growing turnover in the labour market and changing content of jobs induce fears of job displacement and make workers continuously adjust to new requirements (reskill, upskill, increase work efforts). The consequences of these changes are particularly strong for the employment and earning prospects of the low and middle educated workers. Our focus is on six European countries: Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom. We link regional data on fertility and employment structures by industry from Eurostat (NUTS-2) with data on robot adoption from the International Federation of Robotics. We estimate fixed effects linear models with instrumental variables in order to account for the external shocks which may affect fertility and robot adoption in parallel. Our findings suggest robots tend to exert a negative impact on fertility in highly industrialised regions, regions with relatively low educated populations and those which are technologically less advanced. At the same time, better educated and prospering regions may even experience fertility improvements as a result of the technological change. The family and labour market institutions of the country may further moderate these effects." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Nieuwenhuis, Rense (2022): No activation without reconciliation? The interplay between ALMP and ECEC in relation to women employment unemployment and inactivity in 30 OECD countries 1985-2018. In: Social Policy and Administration, Jg. 56, H. 5, S. 808-826. DOI:10.1111/spol.12806

Abstract

"Comparative welfare state research as examined the outcomes of active labour market policies (ALMP) and work-family reconciliation policies by and large been separately. As a result, potential complementarities between these policy areas have received scant attention empirically. Using macro-level data, this study answers the question to what extent, and in which way, governments' efforts in ALMP and in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are complementary to each other in promoting women's employment rates and reducing women's unemployment and inactivity rates in 30 OECD countries from 1985 to 2018. The article theorises about how the various policies that constitute a welfare state relate to each other, distinguishing between pluralism, complementarity and substitutability. These findings provide support for the notion of welfare pluralism, in the sense that ALMP and ECEC policies work together in improving women's employment rates in slightly different ways: ALMP achieve this through reducing women's unemployment rates, whereas ECEC also achieve lower inactivity rates for women. There was, however, more support for the notion of substitution rather than complementarity: the marginal benefits associated with an increase in either ALMP or ECEC were smaller in the context of large investments in the other policy. In other words, the highest rates of women's employment, and the lowest rates of unemployment and inactivity, are found in countries with large investments in both ALMP and ECEC, but such higher investments are associated with diminishing returns." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Palencia-Esteban, Amaia (2022): Occupational segregation of female and male immigrants in Europe: Accounting for cross-country differences. In: International Labour Review, Jg. 161, H. 3, S. 341-373. DOI:10.1111/ilr.12207

Abstract

"This article studies occupational segregation in Europe by gender and immigration status using the European Labour Force Survey for 2005–19. Unlike previous studies, it quantifies levels of segregation separately for female and male immigrants in each country. Overall, male immigrants experience lower occupational segregation than their female counterparts and the second generation is less segregated than the first. Segregation is generally lower in North-Western Europe and higher in the South-East. A counterfactual analysis reveals that immigrants' characteristics explain a small part of these cross-country differences. Institutional setting, integration policies and country-specific norms might play a major role." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Abstract

"Unpaid care duties are key to gender gaps in the labor market. As illustrated in the report, across the Member States, care responsibilities are equally shared between women and men only in about one-third of families. The interplay between labour market and household conditions may create vicious cycles. The unequal division of unpaid care work between men and women reduces women’s access to and permanency in the labor market, and leads to a concentration of women in sectors and jobs allowing greater working time flexibility at the price of lower wages and career opportunities. Gender gaps in the labor market themselves reinforce the unequal division of unpaid care work in households. Work-life balance policies are therefore key for supporting women’s labor market participation and employment and achieving gender equality in the labour market. Although cultural and social norms on the gender division of unpaid work in the household are still relevant, the availability, affordability and quality of childcare and long-term care services, eligibility criteria, length and compensation level of parental, paternity and carers leaves, and flexible working arrangements all play an important role in promoting equal sharing of care tasks in the household enabling full and equal labor market participation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Amate-Fortes, Ignacio, Almudena Guarnido-Rueda, Diego Martínez-Navarro & Francisco J. Oliver-Márquez (2021): Measuring inequality in income distribution between men and women: what causes gender inequality in Europe? In: Quality & quantity, Jg. 55, H. 2, S. 395-418. DOI:10.1007/s11135-020-01009-2

Abstract

"Two objectives have been raised in this paper. On the one hand, an index has been elaborated that tries to measure the inequality of the income distribution between men and women. Secondly, the factors that determine this inequality have been analyzed, paying special attention to the role of the public sector through social expenditure policy. To this end, a panel data has been estimated for 33 European countries over a period of 15 years. The results show that income inequality and gender inequality are closely linked, and that social spending in general and health spending in particular improve income distribution equity between men and women." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Bacheron, Johanne (2021): The impact of paternity leave on mothers' employment in Europe. (AMSE working paper 2021,10 halshs-03145794), Paris, 48 S.

Abstract

"In this paper, I use a pseudo-panel approach with data from the European Union Labour Force Survey to study the impact of paternity leave policies on mothers' employment in ten countries. Using a dynamic Difference-in-Difference strategy, I show that paternity leave increased mothers' employment rate by up to 17% in the long run, and average hours worked by 2 to 4%. There is substantial heterogeneity across countries in the effect of paternity leave policies. The impact on employment rates is positive and significant in eight of the ten countries of the sample, while the impact on hours worked can be either positive or negative. I find no evidence that the reforms had any impact on Greece or Portugal." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))