scholarly journals How can we become more equal? Public policies and parents’ work-family preferences in Germany

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mareike Bünning ◽  
Lena Hipp

This study uses Sen’s (1985) “capabilities framework” to examine how public policies affect parents’ preferences for a more egalitarian division of paid and unpaid work. Based on the assumption that individuals develop their preferences within a specific policy context, we examine how changes in three policies affect mothers’ and fathers’ work-family preferences, namely, the availability of high-quality, affordable childcare, the right to return to a full-time job after working part-time, and an extension of “partner months” in parental leave schemes. Analyzing a unique probability sample of parents with young children in Germany, we find that, on average, fathers would want to work slightly fewer hours if they had the right to return to a full-time position after working part-time, and mothers would want to work slightly more hours if childcare opportunities were improved. Our analyses, however, also show that full-time working parents have preferences for shorter hours and that non-employed parents would prefer longer hours independent of the policy setting. Last but not least, we find that increasing the number of partner months in the parental leave scheme considerably increases fathers’ preferences for longer and mothers’ preferences for shorter periods of parental leave. Our main conclusion is that extending the number of partner months in parental schemes has the greatest potential to increase gender equality.

2021 ◽  
pp. 095892872110357
Author(s):  
Mareike Bünning ◽  
Lena Hipp

This study examines how public policies affect parents’ preferences for a more egalitarian division of paid and unpaid work. Based on the assumption that individuals develop their preferences within a specific policy context, we examine how changes in three policies affect mothers’ and fathers’ work–family preferences: the availability of high-quality, affordable childcare; the right to return to a full-time job after having reduced hours to part-time and an increase in the number of ‘partner months’ in parental leave schemes. Analysing a unique probability sample of parents with young children in Germany from 2015 ( N = 1756), we find that fathers would want to work slightly fewer hours if they had the right to return to a full-time position after working part-time, and mothers would want to work slightly more hours if childcare opportunities were improved. Full-time working parents, moreover, are found to prefer fewer hours independent of the policy setting, while non-employed parents would like to work at least some hours. Last but not least, our analyses show that increasing the number of partner months in the parental leave scheme considerably increases fathers’ preferences for longer and mothers’ preferences for shorter leave. Increasing the number of partner months in parental schemes hence has the greatest potential to increase gender equality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 350-363
Author(s):  
Merve Uzunalioglu ◽  
Marie Valentova ◽  
Margaret O'Brien ◽  
Anne-Sophie Genevois

This article aims to explore the role of eligibility for parental leave as a determinant of access and as an enabler of leave take-up. To analyse the link between eligibility and take-up, we study a unique policy change in Luxembourg’s parental leave scheme. The country’s 2016 parental leave reform relaxed the eligibility criteria to enable marginal part-time working parents to access the parental leave scheme for the first time. We focus on this change and examine to what extent relaxing the eligibility criteria translated into increased take-up by the marginal part-time working parents who became eligible. To quantify this transition, we analyse trends in and patterns of eligibility for the scheme in Luxembourg between 2009 and 2018 among first-time parents working full-time, part-time, or marginal part-time hours. We use a subsample of Luxembourg-resident, cohabiting, first-time parents (N = 6,254) drawn from the social security data. Our analysis shows that as eligibility is dependent on individual factors, it has similarities among mothers and fathers, whereas take-up is notably greater for mothers. After the reform, we observe that marginal part-time working mothers started taking parental leave, but up to 2018, the reform’s outreach to marginal part-time working fathers remained limited. We also find that foreign national parents are less likely to be eligible for parental leave and have lower take-up rates. Despite the gendered parental leave take-up behaviours in parallel with international evidence, marginal part-time working mothers’ positive response to the reform indicates progress towards strengthening women’s labour market attachment in Luxembourg.


2008 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Hosking ◽  
Mark Western

Over the last five decades the Australian labour market has changed profoundly, one prominent aspect being an increase in non-standard forms of employment. Using data from the first wave of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia project, this article explores whether non-standard employment is associated with greater or reduced work—family conflict among employed parents and whether experiences vary by gender. We focus on three types of non-standard employment: part-time hours, casual and fixed-term contracts and non-standard scheduling practices. Regression analyses show that mothers who work full-time rather than part-time experience significantly greater work—family conflict. Casual employment is not linked to a reduction in work—family conflict for either mothers or fathers once we control for working hours. Even though mothers are the primary carer in most families, mothers do not report greater work—family conflict than fathers. We attribute this finding to gender differences in the time spent in employment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Landsverk Hagtvedt ◽  
Tine Schauer Eri

<p>Newly qualified midwives’ self-assessment of education, clinical competence and working conditions</p><p>In Norway, post-graduate nursing programmes are being transformed into master programmes. This occurs without previous evaluation of the study programmes. The level of competence and the requirements of newly qualified are being discussed, and a mentoring programme has been suggested to ensure follow-up and development of clinical competence. In central parts of the country, newly qualified midwives have difficulties getting a permanent full time position, which affects their possibilities to develop clinical competence. An evaluation study of the midwifery program at Vestfold University College has been performed to assess its relevance for professional work, as well as mapping the respondents’ working conditions and their self-assessment of clinical competence. The method used was a survey. The respondents rate the program as good. They lack competence to manage complicated conditions related to the perinatal period, and are inadequate when it comes to issues related to women’s sexual heath. These midwives work part-time, and it may take years to get a permanent position. They rate the follow-up as newly qualified as satisfying, yet they do not feel sufficiently confident during clinical practice. Comprehensive national midwifery competence will require more full time positions and better follow-up of newly qualified. To lay the basis for the content in master programmes, there is a need for a national evaluation of the midwifery programmes and a review of the professional competence of newly qualified.</p>


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Beham ◽  
Patrick Präg ◽  
Sonja Drobnič

Working part-time is frequently considered a viable strategy for employees to better combine work and non-work responsibilities. The present study examines differences in satisfaction with work-family balance (SWFB) among professional and non-professional part-time service sector employees in five western European countries. Part-time employees were found to be more SWFB than full-time employees even after taking varying demands and resources into account. However, there are important differences among the part-timers. Employees in marginal part-time employment with considerably reduced working hours were the most satisfied. Professionals were found to profit less from reduced working hours and experienced lower levels of SWFB than non-professionals. No significant differences in SWFB were found between male and female part-time workers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-222
Author(s):  
Abdul Rahman ◽  
Idi Warsah ◽  
Ali Murfi

Although Singapore cannot be used as a model for global Islamic education, this country has quite several madrasahs. The Singapore government is also quite responsive in providing support for the continuation of Islamic education activities. This study aims to analyze the Islamic education system—madrasah management and curriculum in Singapore. Most importantly, this study identifies how the role of madrasahs in the Singapore education system is. The study in this paper is qualitative. This study uses library research, and the method of content analysis and constant comparative analysis becomes the first option of the writer. The results show that Singapore's Islamic Ugama Majlis (MUIS) plays a significant role in monitoring and managing the development of Islamic education in Singapore, which performs three types of Islamic education, Part-Time Education, Full Time Education, and Islamic Study Program for the Community. MUIS created a special curriculum by proposing the Singapore Islamic Education System (SIES) by introducing the ALIVE curriculum. The role and relevance of madrasahs cannot be underestimated or dismissed because the growing Muslim community and society will always need the right channels for real Islamic education regardless of how progressive or modern it is. This paper provides a broad view of madrasah in Singapore and looks at management, curriculum, and the role of madrasahs.


Author(s):  
Matti Koivisto

Today employees have to update their knowledge, skills and competencies to excel in the working world. Therefore, the number of adult students has increased in all forms and levels of education including universities. Adult students bring non-traditional characteristics to campuses including part-time enrollment, full-time employment, and increased family obligations.  In this paper, an analytical model for analyzing different roles of professionals returning to university is developed. The model is then applied to describe the current support systems for adult learners in Finland and to analyze a Finnish postgraduate program solely targeted for professional returning to college. The findings of the study suggest that programs dedicated to adult learners help returning students to find a better balance between their work, family and school roles and thus overcome more easily the institutional, situational and dispositional barriers to study.


2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 1608-1623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hallgeir Halvari ◽  
Maarten Vansteenkiste ◽  
Steffen Brørby ◽  
Hans Petter Karlsen
Keyword(s):  

1995 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Shibley Hyde ◽  
Marjorie H. Klein ◽  
Marilyn J. Essex ◽  
Roseanne Clark

The Wisconsin Maternity Leave and Health Study addresses an important policy issue, parental leave, by investigating the work status, maternity leave, and mental health of 570 women. In the longitudinal design, the women, all of whom were living with a husband or partner, were interviewed during the fifth month of pregnancy, 1 month postpartum, and 4 months postpartum. At 4 months postpartum, full-time workers, part-time workers, and homemakers did not differ in depression or anger, but full-time workers showed elevated anxiety compared with the other two groups. In multiple regression analyses, length of leave interacted significantly with marital concerns when predicting depression; women who took a short leave (6 weeks or less) and were high on marital concerns had the highest depression scores. Short maternity leave can be conceptualized as a risk factor that, when combined with other risk factors such as marital concerns, places women at greater risk for depression.


2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
James McCrostie

Despite the demographic crisis facing Japanese universities it remains possible, though increasingly difficult, to obtain a permanent teaching position. This article analyses three years worth of job ads to determine the qualifications necessary to increase one’s chances of securing a permanent, full-time position teaching English at a Japanese university.


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