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The Motherhood Training Penalty

Author

Listed:
  • Xiao Ma

    (Peking University)

  • Alejandro Nakab

    (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella)

  • Camila Navajas-Ahumada

    (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella)

  • Daniela Vidart

    (University of Connecticut)

Abstract

Women experience slower wage growth than men over their lifetimes, a gap often attributed to the “motherhood wage penalty,” as childbearing reduces earnings. This paper links this penalty to differences in human capital using a pseudo-event study of first childbirth in Europe to document a “mother-hood training penalty.” Before parenthood, full-time male and female work-ers exhibit similar on-the-job training trends, but their trajectories diverge afterward. In the first 1–3 years of parenthood, women are 17%–22% less likely to train, compared to a 3%–8% decline for men. Additional evidence suggests this gap reflects employers’ lower willingness to finance training for mothers.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiao Ma & Alejandro Nakab & Camila Navajas-Ahumada & Daniela Vidart, 2025. "The Motherhood Training Penalty," Working papers 2025-04, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2025-04
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    On-the-Job Training; Human Capital Accumulation; Lifecycle Wage Growth; Gender Gaps;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • M53 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Training

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