Parental leave uptake among migrant and native mothers

Can precarious employment trajectories account for the difference

Bibliographic Data

ID6256222
AuthorsTine Kil (0000-0002-4076-7519, University of Antwerp, corresponding author), Jonas Wood (0000-0002-8344-9481, University of Antwerp), Karel Neels (0000-0002-6067-6075, University of Antwerp)
Year2018
Volume18
Issue1
Pages106-141
Publication date2018-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEthnicities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1468-7968 • E-ISSN: 1741-2706
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1468796817715292
OpenAlexW2695787365
LanguageEN
Citations received35
References cited36

Family policies such as parental leave schemes increasingly support the work–family balance. Low maternal employment in migrant populations raises questions on family policy uptake among mothers of migrant origin. This study documents differences in parental leave uptake between native and migrant mothers of different origin groups and generations, and assesses the extent to which precarious employment trajectories can account for these differentials. Using longitudinal data from Belgian social security registers, mixed-effects logit models of leave uptake, full-time or part-time leave uptake and the labour market position following leave are estimated for 10,976 mothers who entered parenthood between 2004 and 2010. Results indicate that uptake of parental leave is lower among mothers of migrant origin, since they fail to meet the eligibility criteria as a result of being overrepresented in unstable labour market positions. Whereas differential leave uptake can be accounted for by non-universal eligibility and precarious labour market trajectories, migrant-native differentials in part-time uptake and labour market positions following leave persist when controlling for pre-birth employment characteristics. The differential pattern of leave uptake among first-generation migrant women, in particular, is not explained by pre-birth employment characteristics, as they remain overrepresented in full-time leave, and first-generation mothers of non-European origin more frequently retreat from the labour force following leave. We conclude that difficult access to stable employment and non-universal eligibility are major factors explaining migrant-native differentials in parental leave use. As such, Belgian parental leave policies perpetuate labour market disadvantages by limiting support for work–family reconciliation to those already established in the labour force

Demographic economics · Differential (mechanical device · Economics · Immigration · Labour economics · Parental leave · Political science · Work (physics · Employment and Welfare Studies · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Work-Family Balance Challenges

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