scholarly journals Policy reform and fathers’ use of parental leave in Germany: The role of education and workplace characteristics

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Geisler ◽  
Michaela Kreyenfeld

The introduction of the parental leave benefit scheme in 2007 is widely regarded as a landmark reform that has shifted the German welfare state towards a model that better supports work and family life compatibility. In this article, we investigate whether and how this reform has affected men’s use of parental leave based on data from the German microcensus of 1999–2012. We find that parental leave usage has increased across all educational levels, but the shift has been strongest for university-educated fathers. Public sector employment is beneficial for men’s uptake of leave, while self-employment and temporary work lowers fathers’ chances of taking leave. The parental leave reform has not affected these associations much.

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 248-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Salzmann-Erikson

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze online discussions about parental leave in relation to the work lives and private lives of new fathers. A netnographic study of nearly 100 discussion threads from a freely accessible online forum for fathers was conducted. Data were coded, sorted, and categorized by qualitative similarities and differences. The results of the study indicate that new fathers seek Internet forums to discuss work-related topics. Parental leave can provoke worries and anxiety related to management and co-worker attitudes which can create concern that they should be back at work. The results are presented in two categories: (a) attitudes expressed by employers and colleagues and (b) leaving work but longing to be back. The phenomenon of parental leave for fathers is more complex than simply “for” or “against” attitudes. Fathers can use Internet forums to discuss their experiences, fears, and anxiety and provide reasonable accommodations for both work and family life.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-366
Author(s):  
Dewi Ariyani

Abstract: Paternity leave is part of the parental leave program. Paternity leave is a leave policy given to male workers by many reason, when childbirth or adopting a child. Paternity leave is essential for reconciling work and family life for men. In fact, paternity leave is still a debate in various countries. According to data from the World Labor Organization (ILO), in 2013 there have been 79 countries that set policy on paternity leave officially. The policies of these countries vary in terms of length of paid leave and salary payments. The paternity leave range varies from one day up to 90 days. In general, developed countries have paternity leave provisions better than others. As for salary payments, most countries set full wage payments, but others without payments. During paternity leave, fathers can interact with their children directly and build bounding attachments. Bounding attachment involves the process of enhancing the affectionate and inner attachments between parents and infants. Some things that can build bounding attachment between father and child is through the giving of touch and play together.Keyword: paternity leave, bonding attachment Abstrak: Paternity leave merupakan salah satu bagian dari program parental leave. Paternity leave adalah kebijakan cuti yang diberikan kepada pekerja laki-laki dengan alasan istri melahirkan atau pun karena mangadopsi anak. Paternity leave sangat penting untuk merekonsiliasi kehidupan kerja dan keluarga bagi pekerja laki-laki. Dalam praktiknya, paternity leave masih menjadi perdebatan di berbagai negara. Menurut data organisasi buruh dunia (ILO), pada tahun 2013 sudah ada 79 negara yang menetapkan kebijakan mengenai paternity leave secara resmi. Kebijakan negara-negara tersebut bervariasi dalam hal lama cuti yang diberikan dan pembayaran gaji/upah. Rentang waktu paternity leave bervariasi dari mulai satu hari sampai 90 hari. Secara umum negara maju mempunyai ketentuan paternity leave lebih baik daripada yang lainnya. Adapun mengenai pembayaran gaji atau upah, sebagian besar negaranegara menetapkan pembayaran upah penuh, namun ada pula yang tanpa pembayaran. Selama masa paternity leave, ayah dapat berinteraksi lebih dini dengan anak-anak mereka secara langsung dan membangun bounding attachment. Bounding attachment meliputi proses peningkatan hubungan kasih sayang dan keterikatan batin antara orang tua dan bayi. Beberapa hal yang dapat membentuk bounding attachment antara ayah dan anak adalah melalui pemberian sentuhan dan bermain bersama.Kata kunci: paternity leave, bounding attachment


2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 599-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lillian T. Eby ◽  
Charleen P. Maher ◽  
Marcus M. Butts
Keyword(s):  

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tine Rostgaard ◽  
Anders Ejrnæs

The prevailing gender ideologies in the Nordic countries generally support the equal division of work and family life between men and women, including the equal sharing of parental leave. Regardless, as the exceptional case in the Nordic region, Denmark currently has no father’s quota, and this despite the strong impact such policy has effectively proven to have on gender equality in take-up of parental leave. While a quota intended for the father is instead implemented in Denmark via collective agreements, this is mainly available for fathers in more secure labour market positions. This situates Danish fathers, mothers and their children very unequally regarding parental leave entitlements, and the existing inequalities continue across gender, social class and labour market positions. This article explores to what extent institutional variables vis-à-vis cultural explanations such as gender attitudes provide an understanding of why Danish fathers take less parental leave than other Nordic fathers. We use data from the European Values Study (1990‒2017) as well as administrative data for fathers’ parental leave take-up in the same period, relative to the other Nordics and for specific education backgrounds. We conclude that Danish men and women are even more supportive of gender equality in terms of work‒family life sharing compared to other Nordic countries. This indicates that institutional conditions such as parental leave entitlement matter for leave take-up, but in the Danish case attitudes do less so. Not having a father’s quota seems to affect fathers disproportionally across the education divide, and the lower parental leave take-up among Danish men with little education is primarily ascribed to their labour market insecurity. The policy implication is clear: If we want mothers and fathers with different social backgrounds to share parental leave more equally, the policy must change—not attitudes.


Author(s):  
Mina Westman

Based on an integrated view of prior research, we propose a comprehensive theoretical framework of the crossover process that extends our understanding of work and family life. First, we define the crossover process and review past research. Second, we address the crossover of positive emotions and experiences, focusing on the recent trend of positive psychology. We then review new issues in crossover research including the spillover–crossover model, supportive theory, and findings, and crossover of resources. Finally, we review and discuss the issue of the role of gender in crossover research, in an effort to clarify the background for the inconsistency in findings regarding gender and crossover. We summarize with an agenda for future research.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 845-873 ◽  
Author(s):  
VALERIA BORDONE ◽  
BRUNO ARPINO ◽  
ARNSTEIN AASSVE

ABSTRACTAcross Europe grandparents play very different roles. This paper studies to what extent grandparents' role as providers of child care relates to the country policy context, focusing on public child-care services and parental leave regulation, and to the availability of part-time jobs for women. We also explore whether mothers' needs to combine family and work differently influence the frequency of grandparental child care across countries. The analysis combines micro-data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and macro-indicators from the Multilinks database and Eurostat. We find a clear association between policy context and frequency of grandparental child care. Three models emerge. In countries close to the familialism by default model (i.e. characterised by scarce public child-care services and parental leave), when grandparents provide child care they often do it daily. In countries characterised by defamilialisation and supported familialism policies (with generous public services and parental leave) grandparents take on a marginal role. An intermediate model emerges in countries characterised by a limited offer of child care or parental leave, where grandparental child care complements state support and tends to be offered on a weekly basis. Our analysis corroborates the idea that the highly intensive involvement of grandparents in countries with low availability of part-time jobs for women is influenced by the need (unmet by the welfare) of mothers to combine work and family.


1988 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-271
Author(s):  
Kelly Piner
Keyword(s):  

PsycCRITIQUES ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine J. Kaslow ◽  
Melanie J. Bliss
Keyword(s):  

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