Paid Parental Leave: Leaner Might Be Better

Catherine Haeck (), Samuel Pare, Pierre Lefebvre and Philip Merrigan
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Catherine Haeck: Department of Economics, University of Quebec in Montreal

No 19-01, Working Papers from Research Group on Human Capital, University of Quebec in Montreal's School of Management

Abstract: This article provides an analysis of the impact of the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP). Using a quasi-experimental design with survey data, we find that mothers spent on average 10 additional days with their newborn following the implementation of the insurance plan, and that both mothers and fathers received higher benefits. For children, using both survey data and administrative data, we find that the QPIP had limited positive effects on their health, cognitive and behavioural development. Effects are concentrated among families of mothers with a post-secondary education. These results suggest that while paid benefits increased dramatically, the impacts on maternal time investment and child well-being are modest.

Keywords: maternity leave; parental leave; child development; family well-being; natural experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 J18 J22 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 48 pages
Date: 2019-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea, nep-lma and nep-neu
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:grc:wpaper:19-01

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