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Changes in the Labor Supply Behavior of Married Women: 1980–2000

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Listed author(s):
  • Francine D. Blau
  • Lawrence M. Kahn

Abstract

Using March Current Population Survey data, we investigate married women’s labor supply from 1980 to 2000. We find a large rightward shift in their labor supply function for annual hours in the 1980s, with little shift in the 1990s. These shifts account for most of the slowdown in the growth of labor supply during this period. A major development was the dramatic decrease in the responsiveness of married women’s labor supply to their own and husbands’ wages: their own wage elasticity fell by 50%–56%, while their cross wage elasticity fell by 38%–47% in absolute value.

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File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/513416
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Article provided by University of Chicago Press in its journal Journal of Labor Economics.

Volume (Year): 25 (2007)
Issue (Month): ()
Pages: 393-438

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Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlabec:v:25:y:2007:p:393-438
DOI: 10.1086/513416
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JOLE/

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