The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries

Claudia Olivetti and Barbara Petrongolo

No 961, Boston College Working Papers in Economics from Boston College Department of Economics

Abstract: We draw lessons from existing work and our own analysis on the effects of parental leave and other interventions aimed at aiding families. The outcomes of interest are female employment, gender gaps in earnings and fertility. We begin with a discussion of the historical introduction of family policies ever since the end of the nineteenth century and then turn to the details regarding family policies currently in effect across high-income nations. We sketch a framework concerning the effects of family policy to motivate our country- and micro-level evidence on the impact of family policies on gender outcomes. Most estimates of the impact of parental leave entitlement on female labor market outcomes range from negligible to weakly positive. The verdict is far more positive for the beneficial impact of spending on early education and childcare.

Keywords: parental leave; childcare; family policies; gender gaps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 J16 J18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-09-30
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem and nep-his
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Published, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2017, 31:1, 205-230

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries (2017)
Working Paper: The economic consequences of family policies: lessons from a century of legislation in high-income countries (2017)
Working Paper: The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries (2017)
Working Paper: The economic consequences of family policies:lessons from a century of legislation in high-incomecountries (2017)
Working Paper: The economic consequences of family policies: lessons from a century of legislation in high-income countries (2017)
Working Paper: The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries (2017)
Working Paper: The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries (2017)
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