Unemployment among women in Eastern Germany

Abstract

"As a result of the restructuring of the former GDR, the position of many women in the labour market deteriorated. This can be seen in the continuing high levels of unemployment among women and in trends showing that women are being forced out of certain occupations and activities. A series of current analyses of women's employment wishes indicates clearly that a great number of women in eastern Germany still wish to be employed. If women were able to fulfil their employment wishes - in particular the desire for more part-time jobs - their participation rate in the labour market would be considerably higher than in western Germany and also higher than the effective participation rate in eastern Germany. How far an improvement in the reconcilability of women's employment wishes and their employment opportunities can be achieved in the present under-employment situation will be discussed on the basis of considerations regarding the redistribution of existing work, quotes, wage costs subsidies for specific problem groups, specific support for women with longer employment breaks, and the continuance of childcare services outside the home." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Engelbrech, G. (1994): Unemployment among women in Eastern Germany. Consequences and ways out. In: Szkola Glowna Handlowa, Warszawa (Hrsg.) (1994): Women and work (Papers for the sixth annual EALE conference, 08), p. 1-20.