Working Paper: NBER ID: w18702
Authors: Francine D. Blau; Lawrence M. Kahn
Abstract: In 1990, the US had the sixth highest female labor participation rate among 22 OECD countries. By 2010, its rank had fallen to 17th. We find that the expansion of "family-friendly" policies including parental leave and part-time work entitlements in other OECD countries explains 28-29% of the decrease in US women's labor force participation relative to these other countries. However, these policies also appear to encourage part-time work and employment in lower level positions: US women are more likely than women in other countries to have full time jobs and to work as managers or professionals.
Keywords: female labor supply; family-friendly policies; labor force participation
JEL Codes: J16; J22
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| expansion of family-friendly policies in OECD countries (J18) | women's labor force participation rates (LFPRs) (J21) |
| parental leave entitlements (J22) | women's labor force participation rates (LFPRs) (J21) |
| part-time work protections (J22) | women's labor force participation rates (LFPRs) (J21) |
| parental leave policies (J22) | women's labor force participation rates (LFPRs) (J21) |
| right to part-time work (J22) | women's labor force participation rates (LFPRs) (J21) |
| right to part-time work (J22) | part-time employment (J22) |
| family-friendly policies (J13) | male-female difference in LFPRs (J21) |
| family-friendly policies (J13) | representation of women in high-level jobs (J16) |