| Popis: |
Gender inequalities in the labor market are still significantly large in many developed countries. The unequal impact that childbirth has on men and women is one of the main reasons behind the gender gap. Family policies can encourage maternal employment and work-life reconciliation. Increasing childcare services and job protected parental leave have been proven to be effective instruments to increase female labor supply. Paternity leave can help redistributing housework load between spouses and promote a more equal sharing of parenthood. In Italy, the introduction of mandatory paternity leave failed to reach all eligible workers and to promote higher use of the optional parental leave by fathers. The Bonus Infanzia, which promotes shorter parental leaves for mothers, does not benefit marginal labor supply nor earnings in the medium run; nonetheless, it is correlated with lower risk of leaving the labor market. |
