The Effect of Maternity Leave Expansions on Fertility Intentions: Evidence from Switzerland

Andrei Barbos and Stefani Milovanska-Farrington ()
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Stefani Milovanska-Farrington: University of South Florida

Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 2019, vol. 40, issue 3, No 1, 323-337

Abstract: Abstract We study the effect of the expansion of the mandatory paid maternity leave, implemented in Switzerland in 2005, on individuals’ fertility intentions. Earlier literature found evidence of fertility increases induced by maternity leave expansions from other countries of a relatively large magnitude of 1 year. The expansion that we consider was smaller, from 8 unpaid weeks to 14 mandatory paid weeks, and thus its effect on fertility decisions is less evident ex ante. Nevertheless, we find that it positively impacts fertility planning even though, by construction, our model specification cannot capture its full effect. The strongest effects are elicited in the subsamples of men, individuals with two children, and individuals aged between 31 and 36. There are several channels through which the maternity leave expansion may affect individuals’ child planning, all indicative of a positive effect on the fertility rate.

Keywords: Maternity leave; Child planning; Fertility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D04 J13 J18 N34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10834-019-09609-3

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