The Employment of Mothers: Recent Developments and their Determinants in East and West Germany

Barbara Hanel () and Regina Riphahn
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Barbara Hanel: Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Barbara Broadway ()

No 5752, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We apply German Mikrozensus data for the period 1996 to 2004 to investigate the employment status of mothers. Specifically, we ask whether there are behavioral differences between mothers in East and West Germany, whether these differences disappear over time, and whether there are differences in the developments for high vs. low and medium skilled females. We find substantial differences in the employment behavior of East and West German mothers. German family policy sets incentives particularly for low income mothers not to return to the labor market after birth. East German mothers' employment outcomes matches that expected based on these policy incentives: over time East German mothers with low earnings potentials appear to adopt West German low employment patterns.

Keywords: employment; East Germany; parental leave; mothers; child care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 J18 J21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35 pages
Date: 2011-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

Published - published in: Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik, 2012, 232 (2), 146-176

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Employment of Mothers – Recent Developments and their Determinants in East and West Germany (2012)
Working Paper: The Employment of Mothers - Recent Developments and their Determinants in East and West Germany (2010)
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