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Single Mothers and Work

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  • González, Libertad

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

Abstract

Western countries differ greatly in the extent to which single mothers participate in the labor market. Using LIS data for 15 countries, I propose and estimate a simple structural model of labor supply that incorporates the main variables that influence the work decision for single mothers. The results suggest that a large part of the cross country variation in the employment rates of single mothers can be explained by their different demographic characteristics and by the variation in expected income in the in-work versus out-of-work states. Women with higher expected earnings are more likely to work. Higher in-work benefits encourage employment. Single mothers with higher income from other sources, including child support, are less likely to work. Even after demographic and income variables are controlled for, the country dummies remain significant. This indicates that other variables not explicitly incorporated in the model, such as childcare arrangements or social and cultural backgrounds, may also play a relevant role.

Suggested Citation

  • González, Libertad, 2004. "Single Mothers and Work," IZA Discussion Papers 1097, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1097
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yin King Fok & Sung-Hee Jeon & Roger Wilkins, 2009. "Does Part-Time Employment Help or Hinder Lone Mothers Movements into Full-Time Employment?," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2009n25, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    2. KIZILCA, F. Kemal, 2013. "Booze and women: Gendering labor market outcomes of secular consumption patterns in a Muslim society," MPRA Paper 60134, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 01 Nov 2014.
    3. Tasnim Khan & Rana Ejaz Ali Khan, 2009. "Urban Informal Sector: How Much Women Are Struggling for Family Survival," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 48(1), pages 67-95.
    4. Thomas Biegert & David Brady & Lena Hipp, 2022. "Cross-National Variation in the Relationship between Welfare Generosity and Single Mother Employment," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 702(1), pages 37-54, July.
    5. F. Kemal Kızılca, 2016. "Breaking with Dogma: Unorthodox Consumption Patterns and Women's Labor Market Outcomes in Turkey," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 1-30, October.
    6. Harkness, Susan, 2022. "Single mothers’ income in twelve rich nations: differences in disadvantage across the distribution," ISER Working Paper Series 2022-06, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    7. Biegert, Thomas & Brady, David & Hipp, Lena, 2022. "Cross-National Variation in the Relationship between Welfare Generosity and Single Mother Employment," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 702(1), pages 37-54.
    8. Frish, Roni & Zussman, Noam, 2008. "The effect of transfer payments on the labor supply of single mothers," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 627-643, April.
    9. Karnit Flug & Nitsa Kasir (Kaliner), 2006. "The Single Parent Law, Labor Supply and Poverty," Israel Economic Review, Bank of Israel, vol. 4(1), pages 59-110.
    10. Libertad González, 2008. "Single Mothers, Welfare, and Incentives to Work," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 22(3), pages 447-468, September.
    11. Susan Harkness, 2022. "Single Mothers’ Income in Twelve Rich Countries: Differences in Disadvantage across the Distribution," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 702(1), pages 164-187, July.
    12. Malcolm, Michael & Abdurrahman, Zainab, 2014. "The High Cost Of Specialization: Labor Market Outcomes Following Divorce," Review of Applied Economics, Lincoln University, Department of Financial and Business Systems, vol. 10(1-2), January.
    13. Libertad González Luna, 2005. "Single mothers and incentives to work: The French experience," Economics Working Papers 818, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    14. Susan Harkness, 2022. "Single Mothers’ Income in Twelve Rich Nations: Differences in Disadvantage across the Distribution," LIS Working papers 835, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    15. Díaz Serrano, Lluís & Flamand, Sabine, 2020. "Do schools discriminate against single parents? Evidence from a randomized correspondence experiment," Working Papers 2072/376036, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    single mothers; labor supply;

    JEL classification:

    • J52 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Dispute Resolution: Strikes, Arbitration, and Mediation
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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