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New Mothers’ Labour Force Participation in Italy: The Role of Job Characteristics

Author

Listed:
  • Massimiliano Bratti
  • Emilia Del Bono
  • Daniela Vuri

Abstract

. In this paper we use newly available individual‐level data from the Longitudinal Survey of Italian Households to investigate the factors associated with female labour force participation after the birth of the first child. We focus on the role of pre‐marital job characteristics and find that new mothers who worked without a contract are less likely to participate, while those who worked in the public sector or in a large private firm have a higher probability of being in the labour force after childbearing. We suggest that these effects could be at least partly attributed to differences in the level of job protection and employment stability enjoyed by workers. This implies that in Italy women with highly protected and stable jobs might find it easier to combine career and family, whereas those who are less sheltered by the legislation might be more likely to be inactive after becoming mothers.

Suggested Citation

  • Massimiliano Bratti & Emilia Del Bono & Daniela Vuri, 2005. "New Mothers’ Labour Force Participation in Italy: The Role of Job Characteristics," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 19(s1), pages 79-121, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:labour:v:19:y:2005:i:s1:p:79-121
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9914.2005.00324.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Albert Alesina & Stephan Danninger & Massimo Rostagno, 2001. "Redistribution Through Public Employment: The Case of Italy," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 48(3), pages 1-2.
    2. Claudio Lucifora & Dominique Meurs, 2006. "The Public Sector Pay Gap In France, Great Britain And Italy," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 52(1), pages 43-59, March.
    3. Fabiano Schivardi & Roberto Torrini, 2004. "Firm size distribution and employment protection legislation in Italy," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 504, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Maria Gutierrez-Domenech, 2002. "Employment Penalty After Motherhood In Spain," CEP Discussion Papers dp0546, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    5. Del Boca, Daniela & Vuri, Daniela, 2005. "Labor Supply and Child Care Costs: The Effect of Rationing," IZA Discussion Papers 1779, IZA Network @ LISER.
    6. Gutiérrez-Domènech, Maria, 2002. "Employment penalty after motherhood in Spain," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 20068, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • C3 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables

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