New mothers’ employment and public policy in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Japan

Abstract

This paper investigates the link between family-friendly policies and women's employment after birth of the first child in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Japan in the 1980s and the 1990s. Our econometric analyses use household panel data from each of the five countries: BHPS, GSOEP, OSA, HUS, and JPSC, respectively. Public policies that facilitate the combination of motherhood and paid employment offer an effective means in increasing the participation rate of first-time mothers. The results also indicate that the availability and stimulation of good-quality part-time employment can provide additional, strong incentives for new mothers to enter active employment.