IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ajt/wcinch/83571.html

Remote Schooling during the Pandemic: A Double Burden for Working Parents in Sweden?

Author

Listed:
  • Kronenberg, Christoph
  • Gerdtham, Ulf-Göran
  • Karlsson, Martin

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic was a major shock for working parents, who faced sudden disruptions in both their work environment and their children’s schooling. We study the effect of remote schooling on parental labor market outcomes in Sweden, a setting characterized by minimal COVID-related containment measures, a robust social safety net and a well-established digital education infrastructure. For parents of teenagers, we find no evidence that remote schooling affected employment status, with some short-lived earnings increases that vary by the age of the child. We find neither systematic maternal– paternal differences nor variation by occupational remote-workability.

Suggested Citation

  • Kronenberg, Christoph & Gerdtham, Ulf-Göran & Karlsson, Martin, 2025. "Remote Schooling during the Pandemic: A Double Burden for Working Parents in Sweden?," CINCH Working Paper Series (since 2020) 83571, Duisburg-Essen University Library, DuEPublico.
    • Handle: RePEc:ajt:wcinch:83571
    DOI: 10.17185/duepublico/83571
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://duepublico2.uni-due.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/duepublico_derivate_00082934/CINCH_Series_2025_03.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.17185/duepublico/83571?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dahmann, Sarah C., 2017. "How does education improve cognitive skills? Instructional time versus timing of instruction," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 35-47.
    2. Joan Costa-Font & Martin Karlsson & Henning Øien, 2015. "Informal Care and the Great Recession," CINCH Working Paper Series 1502, Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Competent in Competition and Health, revised Feb 2015.
    3. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew, 2021. "Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 254-277.
    4. Claudia Olivetti & Barbara Petrongolo, 2017. "The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(1), pages 205-230, Winter.
    5. Claudia Hupkau & Barbara Petrongolo, 2020. "Work, Care and Gender during the COVID‐19 Crisis," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(3), pages 623-651, September.
    6. Titan Alon & Matthias Doepke & Jane Olmstead-Rumsey & Michèle Tertilt, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Gender Equality," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2020_163, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    7. John Eric Humphries & Christopher Neilson & Xiaoyang Ye & Seth D. Zimmerman, 2024. "Parents' Earnings and the Returns to Universal Pre-Kindergarten," NBER Working Papers 33038, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Henrik Kleven & Camille Landais & Gabriel Leite-Mariante, 2025. "The Child Penalty Atlas," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 92(5), pages 3174-3207.
    9. Sang-Wook (Stanley) Cho, 2020. "Quantifying the impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 outbreak: The case of Sweden," The Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 23(3), pages 323-344.
    10. Jason Furman & Melissa S. Kearney & Wilson Powell III, 2021. "The role of childcare challenges in the US jobs market recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic," Working Paper Series WP21-8, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    11. Schroeter, Sofia & Lalive, Rafael & Karunanethy, Kalaivani, 2024. "School Closures and Parental Labor Supply: Differential Effects of Anticipated and Unanticipated Closures," IZA Discussion Papers 17371, IZA Network @ LISER.
    12. Bacher-Hicks, Andrew & Goodman, Joshua & Mulhern, Christine, 2021. "Inequality in household adaptation to schooling shocks: Covid-induced online learning engagement in real time," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    13. Francine D. Blau & Lawrence M. Kahn, 2017. "The Gender Wage Gap: Extent, Trends, and Explanations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(3), pages 789-865, September.
    14. Kairon Shayne D. Garcia & Benjamin W. Cowan, 2022. "The Impact of U.S. School Closures on Labor Market Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic," NBER Working Papers 29641, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Titus J. Galama & Hans van Kippersluis, 2015. "A Theory of Education and Health," CINCH Working Paper Series 1503, Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Competent in Competition and Health, revised Mar 2015.
    16. Martin Eckhoff Andresen & Emily Nix, 2022. "What Causes the Child Penalty? Evidence from Adopting and Same-Sex Couples," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(4), pages 971-1004.
    17. Adrian Adermon & Lisa Laun & Patrik Lind & Martin Olsson & Jan Sauermann & Anna Sjögren, 2024. "Earnings Losses and the Role of the Welfare State During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Evidence from Sweden," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 70(4), pages 981-1010, December.
    18. Hall, Caroline & Hardoy, Inés & Lundin, Martin, 2022. "Schooling in the Nordic countries during the COVID-19 pandemic," Working Paper Series 2022:13, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    19. Henrik Jacobsen Kleven & Martin B. Knudsen & Claus Thustrup Kreiner & Søren Pedersen & Emmanuel Saez, 2011. "Unwilling or Unable to Cheat? Evidence From a Tax Audit Experiment in Denmark," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 79(3), pages 651-692, May.
    20. Claudia Olivetti & Barbara Petrongolo, 2017. "The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation," Working Papers 811, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    21. Daniel Avdic, 2015. "A Matter of Life and Death? Hospital Distance and Quality of Care - Evidence from Emergency Hospital Closures and Myocardial Infarctions," CINCH Working Paper Series 1501, Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Competent in Competition and Health, revised Jan 2015.
    22. Ahlin, Åsa & Mörk, Eva, 2008. "Effects of decentralization on school resources," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 276-284, June.
    23. Brantly Callaway & Andrew Goodman-Bacon & Pedro H. C. Sant'Anna, 2021. "Difference-in-Differences with a Continuous Treatment," Papers 2107.02637, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2025.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gørtz, Mette & Sander, Sarah & Sevilla, Almudena, 2025. "Does the child penalty strike twice?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    2. Gørtz, Mette & Sander, Sarah & Sevilla, Almudena, 2023. "Does the Child Penalty Strike Twice, and If So Why?," IZA Discussion Papers 16557, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. David Felipe-Calvo & José Ignacio Gimenez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina, 2026. "Work Interruptions and the Child Penalty: The role of parental gender," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1114, Boston College Department of Economics.
    4. Miele, Kai R., 2024. "Mental Health and Labor Market Effects of Anticipating Job Loss," CINCH Working Paper Series (since 2020) 82169, Duisburg-Essen University Library, DuEPublico.
    5. Katrin Huber & Geske Rolvering, 2023. "Public child care and mothers’ career trajectories," Working Papers 228, Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE).
    6. Hennig, Jan-Luca & Stadler, Balazs, 2021. "Firm-specific pay premiums and the gender wage gap in 21 European countries," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242354, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. repec:ajt:wcinch:73382 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. repec:ajt:wcinch:74583 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Francesca Barigozzi & Helmuth Cremer & Emmanuel Thibault, 2024. "The motherhood wage and income traps," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(4), pages 1-26, December.
    10. Glogowsky, Ulrich & Hansen, Emanuel & Sachs, Dominik & Lüthen, Holger, 2025. "The evolution of child-related gender inequality in Germany and the role of family policies, 1960–2018," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    11. Fischer, Martin & Karlsson, Martin & Prodromidis, Nikolaos, 2021. "The Long-Term Effects of Hospital Deliveries," IZA Discussion Papers 14562, IZA Network @ LISER.
    12. Clarke, Damian & Mühlrad, Hanna, 2016. "The Impact of Abortion Legalization on Fertility and Maternal Mortality: New Evidence from Mexico," Working Papers in Economics 661, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    13. Carbone, Jared C. & Kverndokk, Snorre, 2014. "Individual investments in education and health," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2014:1, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    14. Lafuente, Cristina & Ruland, Astrid & Santaeulàlia-Llopis, Raül & Visschers, Ludo, 2023. "The effects of Covid-19 on couples’ job tenures: Mothers have it worse," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    15. repec:ajt:wcinch:74644 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Masuda, Kazuya & Shigeoka, Hitoshi, 2023. "Education and Later-life Mortality: Evidence from a School Reform in Japan," CINCH Working Paper Series (since 2020) 78763, Duisburg-Essen University Library, DuEPublico.
    17. Saudi‐Yulieth Enciso‐Alfaro & Salma Marhroub & Pedro‐José Martínez‐Córdoba & Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, 2024. "The effect of COVID‐19 on employment: A bibliometric review of a she‐cession," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 3444-3467, July.
    18. Elizabeth Lemmon, 2018. "Utilisation of personal care services in Scotland: the influence of unpaid carers," CINCH Working Paper Series 1802, Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Competent in Competition and Health.
    19. Moroni, Gloria & Nicoletti, Cheti & Salvanes, Kjell Gunnar & Tominey, Emma, 2025. "Gender equality through marriage," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 20/2025, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics.
    20. Sebastian Vollmer & Juditha Wójcik, 2017. "The long-term consequences of the global 1918 influenza pandemic: A systematic analysis of 117 IPUMS international census data sets," Courant Research Centre: Poverty, Equity and Growth - Discussion Papers 242, Courant Research Centre PEG.
    21. Pablo Muñoz & Cristóbal Otero, 2025. "Managers and Public Hospital Performance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 115(11), pages 4040-4074, November.
    22. Katrin Huber & Geske Rolvering, 2023. "Public child care and mothers’ career trajectories," CEPA Discussion Papers 64, Center for Economic Policy Analysis.
    23. Boring, Anne & Moroni, Gloria, 2023. "Turning back the clock: Beliefs about gender roles during lockdown," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ajt:wcinch:83571. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: DuEPublico The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask DuEPublico to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cinchde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.