Parental Leave Policy and Gender Attitudes

Olivier Bargain, Julie Le Vot and Nicolas Herault ()
Additional contact information
Julie Le Vot: Bordeaux University
Nicolas Herault: University of Bordeaux

No 18552, IZA Discussion Papers from IZA Network @ LISER

Abstract: This paper examines whether family policy can shape gender attitudes. We exploit the introduction of a paid parental leave (PPL) scheme in Australia in 2011 and use panel data to study changes in women's gender attitudes around childbirth. Prior to the reform, childbirth is associated with a shift toward more traditional attitudes. This pattern is reversed following the introduction of PPL, with exposed mothers becoming more egalitarian. These attitudinal changes are accompanied by increased post-birth employment and hours worked. Heterogeneity analyses are consistent with mechanisms whereby the policy both legitimizes women's dual role as workers and caregivers and supports continued labor market attachment. The findings highlight how family policies can influence both gender role attitudes and labor market behavior.

Keywords: gender role attitudes; paid parental leave; labor market attachment; Australia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 J16 J18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://docs.iza.org/dp18552.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18552

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in IZA Discussion Papers from IZA Network @ LISER Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Mark Fallak ().