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Rise in Home Working and Spousal Labor Supply

Author

Listed:
  • Feuillade, Mylène

    (Paris School of Economics)

  • Goux, Dominique

    (CREST-INSEE)

  • Maurin, Eric

    (Paris School of Economics)

Abstract

This article explores how an employee’s choice to work from home (WFH) influences his or her spouse’s outcomes. Drawing on the specific features of the French institutions, we show that a spouse’s switch to WFH leads to a sharp increase in the probability that his or her partner will also switch to WFH, as well as in the number of hours worked by the partner. These cross-effects are particularly strong on the better-paid partner within the couple (whether the man or the woman) who appears to condition his or her decision to work from home on that of his or her (less-paid) partner. The effects of WFH on the volume of hours worked are greatly underestimated when spillovers within couples are neglected. On the other hand, we detect no significant effect on partners’ commuting distance, nor on the type of urban unit they choose to live in.

Suggested Citation

  • Feuillade, Mylène & Goux, Dominique & Maurin, Eric, 2025. "Rise in Home Working and Spousal Labor Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 17997, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17997
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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