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Lone and couple mothers in the Australian labour market: differences in employment transitions

Author

Listed:
  • Jennifer Baxter

    (Australian Institute of Family Studies)

  • Jennifer Renda

    (Australian Institute of Family Studies)

Abstract

While more mothers have been participating in the paid workforce over recent years, the employment rate of lone mothers remains lower than that of couple mothers. This paper provides new insights into these different rates of employment, by examining whether the lower employment rate of lone mothers is due to their being less likely to enter employment, more likely to exit employment once employed, or a combination of both. Monthly calendar data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey are used to identify and compare the rate at which lone and couple mothers move into and out of employment over a seven-year period. These data show that of those employed in a one-month period, lone mothers are more likely to transition out of employment than couple mothers; however, not-employed lone and couple mothers are no different in their likelihood of transition into employment. These analyses also show that educational attainment, work history and age of youngest child may contribute to the different employment rates of lone and couple mothers.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer Baxter & Jennifer Renda, 2011. "Lone and couple mothers in the Australian labour market: differences in employment transitions," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 14(2), pages 103-122.
    • Handle: RePEc:ozl:journl:v:14:y:2011:i:2:p:103-122
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marilyn McHugh & Jane Millar, 1996. "Sole Mothers in Australia: Supporting Mothers to Seek Work," Discussion Papers 0071, University of New South Wales, Social Policy Research Centre.
    2. Stephen Knights & Mark N. Harris & Joanne Loundes, 2002. "Dynamic Relationships in the Australian Labour Market: Heterogeneity and State Dependence," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 78(242), pages 284-298, September.
    3. 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.
    4. Peter Dawkins & Paul Gregg & Rosanna Scutella, 2002. "The Growth of Jobless Households in Australia," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 35(2), pages 133-154, June.
    5. Daniel Perkins & Rosanna Scuttella, 2008. "Improving Employment Retention and Advancement of Low-Paid Workers," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 11(1), pages 97-114.
    6. Jane Millar, 2008. "Making work pay, making tax credits work: An assessment with specific reference to lone‐parent employment," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 61(2), pages 21-38, April.
    7. Garry F. Barrett, 2002. "The Dynamics of Participation in the Sole Parent Pension," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 78(240), pages 1-17, March.
    8. Ann Harding & Quoc Ngu Vu & Richard Percival & Gillian Beer, 2005. "Welfare-to-Work Reforms: Impact on Sole Parents," Agenda - A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, Australian National University, College of Business and Economics, School of Economics, vol. 12(3), pages 195-210.
    9. Matthew Gray & Lixia Qu, 2006. "Changes in the Labour Force Status of Lone and Couple Australian Mothers, 1983-2005," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 9(4), pages 395-416, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Meg Smith & Kathy Tannous, 2013. "Access to Full-Time Employment - Does Gender Matter?," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 16(2), pages 237-257.
    2. Deborah A. Cobb‐Clark & Lihini De Silva, 2021. "Participation, Unemployment, and Wages," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 54(4), pages 482-493, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour and Demographic Economics; Labour Economics Policy; Mobility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General
    • J08 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics Policies
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General

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