The changing life cycle pattern in female employment

Abstract

Employment rates of women have been rising but women are often part-time employed and employment interruptions over the life-cycle are linked to family formation. This paper analyzes empirically full-time and part-time employment of different skill groups of women in the UK and West Germany. Patterns of part- time and full-time employment are different across skill groups and countries. Full- time employment declines and part-time employment increases with age. Time trends do not change in a monotonous way across skill groups and they differ by country. The strong increase in part-time rates in both countries over time can mainly be attributed to composition effects.

Cite article

Fitzenberger, B. & Wunderlich, G. (2004): The changing life cycle pattern in female employment. A comparison of Germany and the UK. In: Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 51, No. 3, p. 302-328. DOI:10.1111/j.0036-9292.2004.00308.x