Public Policies and Women's Employment after Childbearing

Han, Wen-Jui (), Christopher Ruhm (), Jane Waldfogel () and Elizabeth Washbrook ()
Additional contact information
Han, Wen-Jui: Columbia University
Jane Waldfogel: Columbia University
Elizabeth Washbrook: University of Bristol

No 3937, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Abstract: This paper examines how the public policy environment in the United States affects work by new mothers following childbirth. We examine four types of policies that vary across states and affect the budget constraint in different ways. The policy environment has important effects, particularly for less advantaged mothers. There is a potential conflict between policies aiming to increase maternal employment and those maximizing the choices available to families with young children. However, this tradeoff is not absolute since some choice-increasing policies (generous child care subsidies and state parental leave laws) foster both choice and higher levels of employment.

Keywords: public policies; maternal employment; childbearing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 J18 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ias and nep-lab
Date: 2009-01

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Working Paper: Public Policies and Women's Employment after Childbearing (2009)
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