Working Time Models of Couples with Children

Project description:

The reconciliation of work and family life has become an important issue in social and labour market policy. In particular, questions about the employment behaviour of women with children and the equal division of labour in partnerships are at the centre of the current debate. As the main responsibility for housework and childcare still lies largely with women, despite the equalisation of educational levels and the increasing convergence of career opportunities, it is mainly women who are confronted with the problems of reconciling work and family life and who are disadvantaged in terms of career opportunities if they wish to work.

The analyses therefore focus on the employment behaviour of couples with children, which is subject to time constraints due to caring responsibilities and has to be negotiated between both partners. In addition, the importance of various factors influencing the achievement of a more equal division of paid work between couples is examined. In addition to socio-economic and family components, these are mainly the partnership context and the occupational framework. Differences between West and East Germany are also taken into account. The data are based on the 2005 German microcensus, which, with its ad hoc module on the reconciliation of work and family life, makes it possible for the first time to examine these issues on the basis of official microdata.

Publications:

Bohr, Jeanette (2014): Realisierungschancen egalitärer Erwerbsmodelle: Analysen zur Erwerbsbeteiligung in Partnerschaften mit Kindern auf Basis des Mikrozensus. GESIS-Schriftenreihe, Band 14, Köln: GESIS.