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Wages And Employment Chances For Women: The Role Of Expected And Actual Fertility

Author

Listed:
  • Stephen McKay

    (University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire (UK))

  • Chiara Mussida

    (Department of Economic and Social Sciences, Universita` Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (Italy))

Abstract

Motherhood is often associated with reduced labour market prospects. However, any ‘motherhood penalty’ may reflect selection effects as well as direct causal effects of having children. We extend the discussion to look at how intentions towards future fertility – and whether they are realised – affect labour market chances for women (employment participation opportunities and wages). We examine high quality UK longitudinal micro-data from the British Household Panel Survey covering eighteen years (1991-2009), using Heckman selection models with full maximum likelihood. We find that expectations toward fertility, in addition to actual fertility, affect the prospects of remaining in paid work. Plans concerning children, and their outcomes, affect the labour market chances of women and this might be due both to inequality taking place within the home and in the workplace. Analysis of expected fertility provides some insights into whether having children is itself the causal factor in labour market prospects of women.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen McKay & Chiara Mussida, 2018. "Wages And Employment Chances For Women: The Role Of Expected And Actual Fertility," Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Sociali, Vita e Pensiero, Pubblicazioni dell'Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, vol. 126(3), pages 255-282.
    • Handle: RePEc:vep:journl:y:2018:v:126:i:3:p:255-282
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Motherhood penalty; Fertility; Employment; Heckman selection model; Exclusion restrictions; Longitudinal;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure

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