Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/325062 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 18004
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Conducting a nationally representative survey of 2,500 working parents between Mother's and Father's Day of 2020, we examine gender differences in the childcare shock during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on demographic, household, and labor market factors, we document gender differences in time use, work status, mental health, job satisfaction, and employer benefits. Using variation in pre-pandemic characteristics to measure exposure to the childcare shock, we find mothers in the more vulnerable group were 15 percentage points more likely to experience a reduction in hours due to childcare than similarly situated fathers. Although paid family leave helped narrow the gap in hours between mothers and fathers in the affected group, newer COVID-19 workplace practices such as working from home and childcare subsidies had no effect.
Subjects: 
household decision-making
gender differences
childcare
paid leave
COVID-19
JEL: 
D13
D91
I30
J22
J28
J71
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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