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The effects of divorce laws on labor supply: a reconsideration and new results

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Listed:
  • Yuqing Zhou

    (Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles)

Abstract

In this paper, I revisit the effects of unilateral divorce laws on female labor supply. I use a variety of models to check the robustness of the results and find that the estimated effects on female labor supply are remarkably robust. The main estimates that I use in this paper suggest that unilateral divorce laws increase female labor force participation rates by roughly 4–5 percentage points and that these effects strengthen over time. There are also strong, long-term effects on the weeks and hours of work and on participation in full-time work. In addition, this paper compares the dynamic participation responses of married mothers versus married non-mothers, high-education versus low-education women, young versus old women and white versus black women.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuqing Zhou, 2018. "The effects of divorce laws on labor supply: a reconsideration and new results," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(4), pages 1877-1888.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-18-00313
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    6. Marianne Bertrand & Esther Duflo & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "How Much Should We Trust Differences-In-Differences Estimates?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(1), pages 249-275.
    7. Justin Wolfers, 2006. "Did Unilateral Divorce Laws Raise Divorce Rates? A Reconciliation and New Results," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1802-1820, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Divorce Laws; Labor Supply;

    JEL classification:

    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • K1 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law

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