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Work Disability after Motherhood and How Paternity Leave Can Help

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  • Fontenay, Sébastien

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

  • Tojerow, Ilan

    (Université Libre de Bruxelles)

Abstract

We study how childbirth increases the likelihood of young, working mothers to claim disability insurance and how paternity leave could ease this effect. Our event study analysis uses Belgian data to show that the incidence rate of disability across gender only diverges after first-time childbirth. This "other child penalty" can be reduced with the provision of paternity leave. Our regression discontinuity difference-in-differences design shows that mothers with partners eligible for a two-week-long paternity leave spent on average 21% fewer days on disability over twelve years. Moreover, we show links between this incidence of paternity leave and consequent birth-spacing decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Fontenay, Sébastien & Tojerow, Ilan, 2020. "Work Disability after Motherhood and How Paternity Leave Can Help," IZA Discussion Papers 13756, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13756
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    Cited by:

    1. Dehos, Fabian & Paul, Marie & Schäfer, Wiebke & Süß, Karolin, 2024. "Time of change: Health effects of motherhood," Ruhr Economic Papers 1079, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    2. Chuard, Caroline, 2023. "Negative effects of long parental leave on maternal health: Evidence from a substantial policy change in Austria," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Sébastien Fontenay & Ilan Tojerow, 2025. "Sickness absences among young mothers and the child penalty in employment," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 625-660, June.
    4. Fontenay, Sébastien & Tojerow, Ilan, 2025. "Is supported employment effective for Disability Insurance recipients with mental health conditions? Evidence from a randomized experiment in Belgium," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    5. Fontenay, Sébastien & Tojerow, Ilan, 2022. "How Does Job Coaching Help Disability Insurance Recipients Work While on Claim?," IZA Discussion Papers 15386, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Barschkett, M.; & Bosque-Mercader, L.;, 2024. "Building Health across Generations: Childbirth, Childcare and Maternal Health," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 24/08, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    7. Céline Piton, 2022. "The labour market performance of vulnerable groups: towards a better understanding of the main driving forces," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/352519, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    disability insurance; gender; child penalty; paternity leave; maternal health; birth spacing; natural experiment; regression discontinuity; event study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions

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