The effect of care leave on burden and job performance

In this article the expected effects of the introduction of a fully paid long-term care leave programme in the Netherlands are investigated. In particular we are interested in the effects on perceived burden and job performance. We analyse data from a survey among workers who care for a person in their social circle for longer than two weeks. The caring workers with a high perceived burden and intention to participate in the programme were asked questions regarding the expected effects on burden. An econometric model in which we account for these two potentially nonrandom selection mechanisms is set up to analyse the expected reduction in burden due to the intended take-up of care leave. As a result of the introduction of the programme about 60% of the intended participants who perceive a high burden expect a reduction in their burden. The relation between burden and job performance shows that the programme would reduce the number of caring workers who perform less precise in their job by one-third. A modified version of the programme with more stringent requirements than analysed in this article was introduced in The Netherlands in 2005.