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Do menstrual problems explain gender gaps in absenteeism and earnings?

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  • Herrmann, Mariesa A.
  • Rockoff, Jonah E.

Abstract

The health effects of menstruation are a controversial explanation for gender gaps in absenteeism and earnings. This paper provides the first evidence on this issue using data that combines labor market outcomes with information on health. We find that menstrual problems could account for some of the gender gap in illness-related absences, but menstrual problems are associated with other negative health conditions, suggesting that our estimates may overstate causal effects. Nevertheless, menstrual problems explain very little of the gender gap in earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Herrmann, Mariesa A. & Rockoff, Jonah E., 2013. "Do menstrual problems explain gender gaps in absenteeism and earnings?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 12-22.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:24:y:2013:i:c:p:12-22
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2013.05.005
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    Cited by:

    1. Kumar, Rahul & Maity, Bipasha, 2022. "Cultural norms and women’s health: Implications of the practice of menstrual restrictions in Nepal," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    2. Azmat, Ghazala & Petrongolo, Barbara, 2014. "Gender and the labor market: What have we learned from field and lab experiments?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 32-40.
    3. Marianne Gjellestad & Kristin Haraldstad & Heidi Enehaug & Migle Helmersen, 2023. "Women’s Health and Working Life: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Kristina Czura & Andreas Menzel & Martina Miotto, 2023. "Improved Menstrual Health and the Workplace: An RCT with Female Bangladeshi Garment Workers," CESifo Working Paper Series 10289, CESifo.
    5. Chadi, Adrian & Goerke, Laszlo, 2015. "Missing at Work - Sickness-related Absence and Subsequent Job Mobility," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112862, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Kristina Czura & Andreas Menzel & Martina Miotto, 2019. "Menstrual Health, Worker Productivity and Well-being among Female Bangladeshi Garment Workers," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp649, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    7. Xiqian Cai & jie Gong & Yi Lu & Songfa Zhong, 2018. "Recover Overnight? Work Interruption and Worker Productivity," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(8), pages 3489-3500, August.
    8. Ayrton Zarb, 2022. "Assessing the role of gender in hiring: a field experiment on labour market discrimination," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(12), pages 1-21, December.
    9. Chadi, Adrian & Goerke, Laszlo, 2018. "Missing at work – Sickness-related absence and subsequent career events," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 153-176.
    10. Laura Rossouw & Hana Ross, 2021. "Understanding Period Poverty: Socio-Economic Inequalities in Menstrual Hygiene Management in Eight Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-14, March.
    11. Katherine Sang & Jen Remnant & Thomas Calvard & Katriona Myhill, 2021. "Blood Work: Managing Menstruation, Menopause and Gynaecological Health Conditions in the Workplace," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A., 2016. "Biology and Gender in the Labor Market," IZA Discussion Papers 10386, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Krenz, Astrid & Strulik, Holger, 2021. "The impact of menstruation hygiene management on work absenteeism of women in Burkina Faso," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    14. Krenz, Astrid & Strulik, Holger, 2019. "Menstruation hygiene management and work attendance in a developing country," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 364, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender differentials; Absenteeism; Menstrual problems;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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