Fathers but not caregivers

Lina Aldén (), Anne Boschini () and Malin Tallås Ahlzén ()
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Lina Aldén: Department of Economics and Statistics, Linneaus University
Anne Boschini: Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University
Malin Tallås Ahlzén: IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy, Postal: Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy, P O Box 513, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden

No 2026:9, Working Paper Series from IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy

Abstract: Fathers’ parental leave uptake remains low in many advanced economies despite substantial policy efforts. We study a setting where financial and eligibility barriers are minimal: employed, native-born first-time fathers entitled to generous, non-transferable leave benefits. Using Swedish population register data for 1995–2015, we document three key facts: (i) low uptake follows a persistent U-shaped income gradient, (ii) its determinants vary across the distribution—economic constraints at the bottom and top, workplace norms in the middle—and (iii) these constraints have grown more salient over time. Quota reforms increased uptake on average but did not narrow differences in low uptake between constrained and unconstrained fathers. Using quasi-random sibling-sex composition, we show that exposure to traditional gender-role environments increases the likelihood of low uptake in recent cohorts. The results highlight the limits of financial incentives and point to workplace and household norms as central barriers to equal parental leave participation.

Keywords: Men; parental leave; gender norms; father’s quota (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 J13 J16 J18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 42 pages
Date: 2026-05-12
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:ifauwp:2026_009

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