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Employment Decisions of Married Women: Evidence and Explanations

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  • Daniela Del Boca
  • Marilena Locatelli
  • Silvia Pasqua

Abstract

Aggregate evidence has revealed a significant increase in women’s labour market participation (especially among married women) and a decline in male participation, both in Italy and in all the other OECD countries. This paper empirically tests the relationship between the education and employment status of husbands and wives using the Bank of Italy Survey (1995). The results of our analysis show that employed women are likely to be married to employed men with a higher level of education and higher income. The estimates of the labour supply decisions of wives show that the effect of the unemployment status of husbands is mediated by other factors associated with the family’s view of wives working outside home. The response to a husband’s unemployment depends significantly on the employment decisions of parents (mothers and mothers‐in‐law), a proxy for the couple’s attitude towards women’s work.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Del Boca & Marilena Locatelli & Silvia Pasqua, 2000. "Employment Decisions of Married Women: Evidence and Explanations," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 14(1), pages 35-52, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:labour:v:14:y:2000:i:1:p:35-52
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-9914.00123
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    1. repec:bla:econom:v:47:y:1980:i:185:p:51-72 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Jacobsen, Joyce P & Rayack, Wendy L, 1996. "Do Men Whose Wives Work Really Earn Less?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(2), pages 268-273, May.
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    6. Giannelli, Gianna & Micklewright, John, 1995. "Why Do Women Married to Unemployed Men Have Low Participation Rates?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 57(4), pages 471-486, November.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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