Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/233825 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Citation: 
[Journal:] Labour Economics [ISSN:] 0927-5371 [Volume:] 57 [Publisher:] Elsevier [Place:] Amsterdam [Year:] 2019 [Pages:] 146-163
Publisher: 
Elsevier, Amsterdam
Abstract: 
We analyze whether mothers’ parental leave decisions depend on their coworkers’ decisions. The identification of peer effects bears various challenges due to correlated characteristics within social groups. We therefore exploit quasi-random variation in the costs of parental leave induced by a policy reform in Germany. The reform encourages mothers to remain at home during the first year following childbirth. Administrative linked employer-employee data enable us to assign a peer group to individuals who work in the same establishment and occupation. Our results suggest that parental leave decisions are significantly influenced by coworkers’ decisions.
Subjects: 
Peer effects
Social interaction
Labor supply
Family policy
JEL: 
C31
J22
D04
Published Version’s DOI: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc-nd Logo
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Accepted Manuscript (Postprint)

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