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Organizations have started more progressively using and offering family benefits including parental leaves to address the issues of balancing work and family life. Although such leaves are fundamental for supporting, attracting, and retaining women, we examine whether such leaves may also inadvertently affect women's careers in occupations that overly value masculine traits, unless managed carefully. Drawing on the literature on gender stereotypes (micro factors) and occupation gender type (macro factors), we argue that longer (vs. shorter) parental leaves negatively affect women's work outcomes (i.e., annual income, salary recommendation, hireability, and leadership effectiveness) in men-dominated but not in women-dominated occupations because it lowers perceptions of women's agency. We find support for our hypotheses across three studies in the Australian context with an archival data set and two experiments. Our work shows that men-dominated organizational structures reinforce traditional gender stereotypes, whereas such reinforcement does not happen in women-dominated organizational structures. Our research equips leaders and organizations with insights into the unintended negative consequences of parental leave for women. This understanding serves as a crucial first step in developing strategies and programs to mitigate these effects, thereby supporting women in men-dominated occupations and fostering more inclusive and healthy workplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In standard promotion tournaments, contestants are ranked based on their output or productivity. We argue that workers' career progression may also depend on their relative rankings in dimensions a priori unrelated to their job performance, such as visibility or in-person presence. Such implicit tournaments may rationalize a variety of seemingly counterproductive practices in the workplace, including long working hours, low uptake of statutory leave, and presenteeism. We illustrate the significance of implicit tournaments using the case of paternity leave among new fathers, where we exogenously vary a focal worker's ranking within a contest, not via his own leave status but that of his competitors, exploiting a policy reform. We show that the focal worker is put on a better earnings trajectory than otherwise when a larger share of his competitors take leave because of the reform. The focal worker's own absolute leave, however, has no direct effect on his earnings path as long as his own and his competitors' leave statuses are symmetric. With effective coordination, it should thus be possible for all fathers to utilize paternity leave without incurring unwarranted career costs. This has implications for statutory leave policies, flexible work arrangements, and gender equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workers' rights are provided for under Article 40 of the Constitution (1995) and in other pieces of legislation. Sections 56 and 57 of the Employment Act (2006) (the Act) provide for the rights to maternity leave and paternity leave respectively. Section 56(1) of the Act provides that '[a] female employee shall, as a consequence of pregnancy have the right' to maternity leave as a result of 'child birth or miscarriage.' On the other hand, section 57(1) of the Act provides '[a] male employee shall, immediately after the delivery or miscarriage of a wife, have the right to' paternity leave. It is evident that under section 56, for a female employee to qualify for maternity leave, she doesn't have to be married. However, for a male employee to qualify for paternity leave, he has to be married. The reason for this is explained in the drafting history of section 57. It is argued that this amounts to discrimination on the ground of marital status. It is also argued that section 56(1) is only applicable to biological mothers and excludes adoptive mothers, commissioning parents (in cases of surrogacy) and those who have committed abortion. This is also discriminatory but could be justified in the case of commissioning parents, adoptive parents and those who have committed abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tijdschrift voor Arbeidsvraagstukken is the property of Amsterdam University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study examines the promotion of paternity leave by focusing on the role of female directors on boards. Drawing on insights from the literature on the upper echelons theory and strategic leadership, we argue that efforts to break gender stereotypes in upper‐echelon positions, particularly through female representation on boards, can promote paternity leave. Analyzing data from 633 Japanese firms between 2017 and 2021 with pooled regression models revealed that a high proportion of female directors promoted paternity leave. Additionally, it implied that the proportion of female department managers can strengthen the positive effects of female directors on paternity leave promotions. Our results contribute to the theory and practice of gender equality in organizations by providing implications for promoting crucial management practices that may be hindered by gender stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Studies of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in corporations typically involve ethnic minorities or women. In this case study, however, the focus is on men, and a new DEI policy implemented successfully in four multinational corporations (MNCs), namely, paternity leave rights with global applicability. The MNCs’ rationale for introducing this policy, and the perception of it by male employees who have taken such leave are explored mainly through interviews. These fathers are working for one of the MNCs and based in the UK, the US, Brazil and Australia. The aim of the case study is twofold: (i) contribute new insights into how the MNCs discursively justify the global policy, and (ii) develop a contextual framework explaining the MNCs’ successful implementation, which involves both discursive and practical action. In terms of underlying corporate DEI discourses, they mainly emphasise either economic rationality, inclusion or fairness. Regarding factors influencing uptake, a supportive work culture, a standardised period of fully paid leave and formal replacement during leave turn out to be important for informants across all four MNCs.

The Middle East and North Africa region struggled to meet the employment aspirations of its increasingly educated youth in the aftermath of structural reforms. This article examines the evolution of initial labor market outcomes across pre- and post-reform cohorts of school leavers by education and socioeconomic status (SES) in Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia. Results show that formal jobs for educated new entrants are increasingly allocated according to SES, as measured by parents' education and father's occupation, in Egypt and Tunisia, but not in Jordan. In Egypt and Tunisia, the quality of initial jobs deteriorated for educated new entrants, particularly among those with lower SES. This rising tide of inequality of opportunity in employment may have contributed to the Arab Spring uprisings and remains an important source of frustration for youth and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To foster gender equality and involve fathers in parenting, leave-from-work targeted at fathers has been implemented in many countries. In France, until 2021, fathers can avail of a statutory paid paternity leave of 11 working-days that must be taken within 4 months after childbirth. This article estimates the impact of this short-duration and large coverage paternity leave on the gender division of domestic and parental tasks. We measure the effect of paternity leave using the Elfe survey, a national cohort of children born in 2011. We take advantage of the timing of the 2-month survey: some fathers had already taken their leave, while others intended to but had not done so by then. Taking paternity leave leads to a more equal division of several parental tasks. It affects sharing of domestic activities only marginally. The effect on child-rearing tasks is greater for first-time parents and differs by father’s education level. Paternity leave may provide the opportunity to learn how to perform child-related tasks to fathers, and involving them early in parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the mounting social and governmental support for better paternity leave options in the United States, it is surprising that a recent national study found that "male respondents were far more likely [than female respondents] to indicate that they do not plan to take advantage of their workplace paid parental leave benefits," (Deloitte, 2016). This finding may be explained by regulatory barriers that have risen due to the basic nature of the Family and Medical Leave Act and barriers rising from factors in the social environment, such as stigma and leader-member exchange (LMX). We built hypotheses from the social exchange perspective, emphasizing the role of communication as the primary facilitator of relational development. Data gathered from 92 fathers employed at a large midwestern university indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between perceived paternity leave-related stigma and paternity leave intentions, and that fathers with high LMX perceived less stigma from their supervisors than those with low LMX. Implications and findings for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uptake of Shared Parental Leave (SPL) in the UK remains poor, with fewer than 2% of eligible fathers utilising the policy since its introduction in 2015. With limited extant research addressing the policy, reasons behind the low level of uptake remain unclear. Specifically, the role of work (family supportive organisation perceptions [FSOP]) and gender-related factors (perceived social identity threat and traditional gender role orientation) in men’s attitudes towards SPL have been largely overlooked. This study sought to identify the extent to which work and gender-related factors influenced employed men’s attitudes towards SPL, utilising social role theory to understand the mechanisms underpinning these relationships. A survey of 120 employed men captured attitudes towards SPL, traditional gender role orientation, perceived social identity threat, and FSOP. Results showed that perceived social identity threat was positively associated with traditional gender role orientation, which was, in turn, the mechanism through which FSOP and perceived social identity threat affected attitudes towards SPL. At low levels, FSOP moderated the relationship between perceived social identity threat and traditional gender role orientation, but did not moderate the indirect effect between perceived threat and attitudes towards SPL. Theoretical contributions and recommendations for organisations to improve workplace gender equality are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigeria has an inadequate number of neurosurgeons to meet the population's demand for neurosurgical care. Furthermore, few Nigerian neurosurgeons are female. This study sought to evaluate perceived barriers to pursuing neurosurgery among Nigerian trainees. A 60-question survey was distributed electronically to medical students at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and unspecialized intern physicians at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Participation was voluntary. One hundred fifty-seven respondents participated in the survey. A greater proportion of males indicated an interest in neurosurgery than females (40% vs. 18%, P = 0.010). Over 75% of respondents identified decreased family and personal time, long work hours, and limited access to maternity or paternity leave as potential barriers to neurosurgery, with no differences by gender. Respondents overall saw being female and low-income as disadvantageous to pursuing neurosurgery in Nigeria. Although they universally viewed research as important in neurosurgery, 59% of respondents reported inadequate access to research opportunities; this did not vary by gender. However, 65% of female respondents reported that having a female neurosurgery mentor would increase their interest in neurosurgery (vs. 37% of males, P = 0.001). Nigerian medical trainees perceived the time commitment of neurosurgery as a major barrier to pursuing the specialty. Regardless of gender, they also reported low exposure to neurosurgery and inadequate access to research and mentorship opportunities. However, we found that enhanced female representation among neurosurgery mentors and improved work-life balance could increase interest in neurosurgery and help expand Nigeria's neurosurgical workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Orthopedic surgery continues to have one of the lowest rates of female trainees among all medical specialties in the United States. Barriers to pursuing a surgical residency include the challenges of family planning and work–life balance during training. Methods: A systematic literature search of articles published between June 2012 and December 2022 in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed in January 2023 according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis). Studies were included if they evaluated pregnancy and peripartum experience and/or outcomes amongst orthopedic surgeons or trainees. Results: Eighteen studies were included. Up to 67.3% of female orthopedic surgeons and trainees and 38.7% of their male counterparts delayed childbearing during residency. The most reported reasons for this delay included career choice as an orthopedic surgeon, residency training, and reputational concerns among faculty or co‐residents. Infertility ranged from 17.0% to 30.4% in female orthopedic surgeons and up to 31.2% suffered obstetric complications. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) resulted in 12.4%–56.3% of successful pregnancies. Maternity and paternity leaves ranged from 1 to 11 weeks for trainees with more negative attitudes associated with maternal leave. Conclusions: Female orthopedic trainees and attending delay childbearing, experience higher rates of obstetric complications, and more stigma associated with pregnancy compared to their male colleagues. Program and institutional policies regarding maternity and paternity leave are variable across programs, and therefore, attention should be directed toward standardizing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Law / Teise is the property of Vilnius University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Despite national policy changes, perspective changes on pregnancy and parenting in training are often lacking. We evaluated current viewpoints regarding pregnancy, parenthood, leave needs, and perceptions of support across trainees at our institution. A cross-sectional survey was sent to all residents and fellows at a tertiary care academic center with >700 trainees. Demographic information, opinions on maternity and paternity leave, and opinions on institutional support and career goals were collected. The survey was sent via the Graduate Medical Education Office listserv -- 66 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) programs and 40 non-ACGME programs. Seven hundred and forty-seven house officers received the survey with a response rate of 21.9% (n = 164). Of respondents, 81% were residents and 99 respondents were female (representing 31% of female trainees at our institution). Thirty-seven point two percent of respondents reported being parents. Twenty-five point three percent of respondents had been pregnant while a trainee with no statistical difference by specialty type (P = 0.0817). Statistically significant difference was noted in having children based on sex with men becoming parents at twice the rate of women (56% vs 26%, P < 0.001). No difference was noted between specialties on perceived support while pregnant and peripartum. Thirty percent of parent respondents reported thinking about leaving medical training after having children given family stressors. Statistical difference in thoughts of leaving medicine overall between females (46%) and males (17.6%; P = 0.0238). Men and women need support as they navigate becoming parents at a naturally stressful transition period. Females consider leaving medicine at twice the rate of males after becoming parents. Our institution and other ACGME programs need greater transparency and consistent leave practices that reflect changing times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SYNOPSIS: Accounting researchers and practitioners have made strides in addressing persistent gender inequalities in the accounting profession. However, these efforts have largely sidestepped men and masculinities. Our study considers the role of men and masculinities in gender inequalities by exploring how men in accounting experience paternity leaves. We conduct interviews with 13 men in audit firms in France. We find that fathers are reluctant to take leaves, which they view as vacation periods incompatible with their professional work. They see audit firms as offering less support to fathers than mothers, with support for fathers growing but still marginal. Finally, they experience a variety of emotions, including positive emotions around fatherhood and negative emotions around difficulties in reconciling fatherhood with professional responsibilities and paternity leaves. Practically, our findings imply that to address gender inequalities further, accounting firms need to change the norms around care work, including paternity leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental leave is often an initial barrier to achieving family-career integration, and thus discussing this issue within the broader academic pharmacy community may have important implications for policy development and change. This commentary aims to reveal the implications of inadequate parental leave policies on faculty while highlighting the benefits well-developed policies can have for both parents and their children. Additionally, we put forth a call to action for additional research into the availability and structure of parental leave policies at pharmacy institutions and the effects such policies have on faculty wellbeing, retention, and job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, the circumstances surrounding childcare leave in Japan have undergone substantial change. The present study aimed to replicate the study by Miyajima and Yamaguchi (2017), who demonstrated that pluralistic ignorance inhibits paternity leave. Our preregistered replication survey, which comprised 222 employed males, found that participants recognized others' attitudes toward paternity leave as more negative than they actually were. This result indicates that, as in the previous study, pluralistic ignorance about paternity leave still exists. However, unlike Miyajima and Yamaguchi's (2017) work, pluralistic ignorance did not inhibit participants' willingness to take paternity leave. The potential causes of these differences are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that sexist attitudes are deeply ingrained, with adverse consequences in the socioeconomic and political sphere. We argue that parental leave for fathers—a policy reform that disrupts traditional gender roles and promotes less stereotypical ones—has the power to decrease attitudinal gender bias. Contrasting the attitudes of new parents who were (and were not) directly affected by a real-world policy reform that tripled the amount of fathers' leave, we provide causal evidence that the reform increased gender-egalitarian views in the socioeconomic and political domains among mothers and fathers, and raised support for pro-female policies that potentially displace men among mothers. In contrast, informational, indirect exposure to the reform among the general public produced no attitudinal change. These results show that direct exposure to progressive social policy can weaken sexist attitudes, providing governments with a practical and effective tool to reduce harmful biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The article evaluates the 2007 introduction of nontransferable and fully paid paternity leave in Spain. Background: Previous research has focused on paternity leave reforms, especially in the Nordic and continental countries. This article studies characteristics of the parental leave system design, including transferability, payment, and purpose of different types of leave for mothers and fathers in a Mediterranean country. Method: We use a quasi‐experimental approach based on a sample of heterosexual dual‐earner couples with children born before and after the paternity leave introduction. We estimate differences in differences regression models. Results: The 2007 reform caused a significant increase in fathers' number of days of parental leave. Most fathers used the whole nontransferable and fully paid paternity leave, but they hardly used transferable or unpaid leave. Mothers used all of these, especially paid leave. Conclusion: The number of nontransferable fully paid days of parental leave provided by law approximates the actual number of days most fathers used. Implications: The policy design matters. A design of equal, nontransferable, and fully paid leave for each parent is necessary for equal use by fathers and mothers—and thus for gender equality in families and work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a pregnancy ends in England and Wales, statutory time away from paid employment is limited to circumstances where there is a live birth or stillbirth. Forms of leave, such as Maternity Leave or Paternity Leave, depend on parental status derived from the civil registration of a new person or a post‐viability stillbirth. Other early pregnancy endings, such as miscarriage or abortion, do not provide specific time off work after pregnancy. This paper uses the concept of reproductive governance to analyze current and shifting biopolitical truth discourses, strategies of intervention, and modes of subjectification around post‐pregnancy leaves. It shows how different inclusions and exclusions are generated by the classificatory boundaries which act as political technologies in this field. Contributing to an area that is under‐researched in the literature, we provide a review of post‐pregnancy statutory employment leave entitlements in this context. We then consider proposals for change presented in the United Kingdom political system in relation to more inclusive leave benefits offered by some employers and different pregnancy ending leaves offered in other jurisdictions. We argue that current arrangements and proposals do not adequately reflect the complexity and diversity of pregnancy endings. We conclude with a call to policymakers in all contexts to carefully assess the consequences of new ideas around leaves for pregnancy endings and to formulate inclusive and fair proposals for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directive 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) of June 20, 2019, also called the work-life balance directive, was implemented into Polish law on April 26, 2023. The directive establishes minimum requirements to guarantee equality for women and men regarding labor market opportunities by facilitating work and family life reconciliation. It includes rights related to paternity leave, parental leave, and childcare leave, as well as flexible work arrangements for employees who are parents or caregivers. In doing so, it creates measures to ensure the effectiveness of these solutions. Polish society's rather conservative views on the division of roles in the family, as presented by opinion polls, are reflected in statistics on the gender burden of household duties. The work-life balance directive aims to increase the involvement of European fathers in caring for children and loved ones in need. As a result of the directive's implementation, fathers, previously reluctant to exercise their parental rights, have been given opportunities that will allow them to become more involved in family life. If the directive encouraged men to exercise their entitlements, it would be a significant step toward enabling women to become active in the workforce and return to the labor market more quickly after the birth of a child. At the same time, the time a father could spend at home positively impacts family relations and bonding with his child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to present empirical evidence on the use of parental leave by fathers under the Mediterranean Welfare State, as a Spanish tribute to the legacy of Dr Rush in politics of fatherhood in a comparative perspective. We will focus on the Spanish case to analyze the use of paternity leave by fathers for the period 2001–2017. We consider the family unit – as a setting for bargaining and socialization – from a longitudinal perspective. The paper presents a very valuable and in-depth analysis of socio-demographic factors influencing the family decision to take parental leave by fathers (age, education, employment status, socio-economics). Based on the literature reviewed, we consider that these factors have a greater impact on how parental leave is used differently and how it has evolved over time. The case of Spain is interesting for the research because it represents a political and social model that combines a recent institutional commitment to the work/life balance through the extension of paternity leave for fathers with a male breadwinner family model still in transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How families balance employment and the care of young children has become a focus of dynamic policy change in many high-income countries since the 1990s. While there has been a broad shift across the OECD away from male-breadwinner model work-family policy regimes, there is much variation in the extent to which policies targeted at fathers have been part of these changes. Examining this variation, this article compares two cases which both represent 'late path shifters' away from the male-breadwinner family model, yet whose trajectory in terms of 'father politics' are very different: Germany, which has introduced well-remunerated, non-transferable periods of leave for fathers, and the UK, where leave policy has remained overwhelmingly focused on mothers. This article seeks to explain these different trajectories through an analysis of the political role of ideas in the two processes of reform. Drawing on documentary analysis and interviews with policymakers, it argues that a substantial shift in ideas about the role of fathers underpinned the reforms in Germany, while no such shift took place in the UK. This difference is explained with reference to political conditions, which created similar but different windows of opportunity for change, and the impact of existing policy legacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here is the shorter abstract: Following Rush's suggestion to explore differences across cultures, our study compares the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Appyling Rush's discussion of how individual attitudes function as mediators, we analyse how attitudes mediate the norm of threeness. We interviewed 79 parents in both countries and our results show that despite the cultural differences between the countries, there is great support for the norm of threeness. Nevertheless, individual attitudes mediate between culture differently among men than women. About 1/3 of fathers would ideally want to share part of the leave time while no mothers support this. Furthermore, most men would prefer to share the leave time if there were no economic loss, while few mothers support the idea. Apparently, mothers do not trust fathers. Our interviews give reason to believe that if well-paid father quotas were introduced and more fathers went on leave, mothers would start to trust fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ireland used to be a laggard in implementing modern fatherhood policies compared to its European neighbours. In 2016, it was one of the last EU countries to introduce paid paternity leave and three years later parental leave. These reforms indicate that Ireland is moving away from the US model of fatherhood to a social investment state closer to the Swedish model of shared parenthood. With the introduction of Paternity Benefit the Irish government aimed to achieve a take-up of about 46–61%, which is used as a yardstick to evaluate its success. First, this article assesses paternity leave take-up comprehensively through four different rates based on administrative and aggregate data. Overall, take-up had been increasing initially, but levelled already after four years at the lower government target. This is puzzling as countries with similar reforms reported a constant increase and higher take-up over time. Second, drivers for the low take-up are discussed. Specifically, occupational and class inequalities are key factors as only 55 percent of the male workforce have access to occupational top-ups in addition to the relatively low statutory benefit. Without increasing benefit generosity, take-up will stabilize at the rather modest levels in comparison to other European welfare states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on panel data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 1998 to 2018, we investigate the association between paternal childcare and parental economic well-being after separation in Germany. Referring to the post-separation year, we explore a sample of 176 separated couples with resident mothers and nonresident fathers, where fathers differ in their childcare involvement during weekdays. We propose equivalized annual net household income after exchange of alimony and child maintenance payments among the ex-partners as a novel indicator of parental economic well-being. Our study reveals the importance of considering both paid and received alimony, and child maintenance payments in analyzing post-separation economic well-being. Fathers' childcare engagement during weekdays is not significantly associated with maternal post-separation income. Resident mothers take up the major or even full childcare burden. On the other hand, fathers with non-zero childcare hours manage to combine some paternal engagement with intensified employment. Mothers, however, fail to gain substantial ground on the labor market, which is unlikely to be due to differences in human capital, but rather due to persistently high maternal childcare involvement. We conclude that neither high levels of own resources, nor receiving help with childcare during the week shield resident mothers from economic deterioration after separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic hardship among divorced women—particularly mothers—is a longstanding policy concern. Most research in this area has causally examined women's labor supply in relation to divorce or concentrated on post-divorce outcomes alone. Less attention has been paid to understanding mothers' pre-divorce economic outcomes, although they have an important bearing on their post-divorce economic circumstances. The present study addresses this gap by using court records data on divorce cases linked to administrative employment records in Wisconsin to examine economic circumstances of married mothers with children at the time of filing the divorce petition, and how they evolve over three years leading up to it. The study introduces a new measure of economic vulnerability and carries out a descriptive analysis of mothers' employment, earnings, and economic circumstances in the years preceding a divorce and compares them with the outcomes of fathers. Results show that despite significant increases in labor supply and earnings in the time leading up to divorce, mothers remain economically more vulnerable than fathers going into divorce, with over 44% of mothers (compared to 27% fathers) unable to support themselves and their children above the poverty line with their own earnings. Findings also suggest that mothers with younger children are worse off in terms of earnings and employment than mothers of older children although such differences are less pronounced for fathers. Implications for post-divorce cost-sharing of children, work, and safety net policies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rapid growth in the Chinese construction industry is exposing many design professionals to elevated stress levels with negative implications for their health and well-being, and in-turn project outcomes. However, it is surprising that there has been little research into job stressors affecting design professionals in the construction industry. The aim of this paper is to help address this gap in knowledge by reporting the results of research that explored the job stressors of design professionals and how they vary across various personal and workplace characteristics. Data was collected via a survey of 408 design professionals in the Chinese construction industry, supported by in-depth sensemaking interviews with nine Chinese design professionals. Survey data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics combined with qualitative analysis of interview transcripts. Results indicate that task-related stressors are the leading sources of job stress for design professionals in the industry. Managing job workload, job requirements, and job ambiguity are the main task-related stressors and are linked to time pressures, working overtime, high workload, balancing multiple projects, and high levels of responsibility. Results also indicate that gender, marital status, age, education background, years of design experience, design discipline, position, and professional title are mediating factors in a design professional's job stressor profile. Being the first large-scale empirical investigation of the job stressors among design professionals in the Chinese construction industry, the findings provide new empirical and conceptual insights into an increasingly important yet under researched problem and concludes with practical recommendations to reduce job stress for design professionals in the industry, which has broader relevance in other countries. The current research findings have important practical implications for Chinese design professionals and for managers of design organizations and construction projects in China that involve design professionals. By providing new insights into the critical stressors that affect design professionals and the influence of personal and workplace characteristics on their job stressors, this research provides a strong empirical foundation for new evidence-based stress management initiatives and policies to reduce job stressors in this critically important professional group. For example, this may include involving design professionals or design organizations in the redesign of their jobs and working environments and the development of flexibility policies that enable better work-life balance, such as working remotely, paternity leave, and shorter work weeks. More importantly, the findings point to the importance of changing the demanding nature of work in the construction industry and developing more targeted measures to improve individual resilience and stress-coping capabilities for design professionals, especially those subgroups to which the results indicate are subject to stronger job stressors. These groups include electrical design professionals, design professionals with a higher level of education or job position, and professionals with family caring responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In only a few decades, workplace leave for fathers has grown from a few days of paternity leave to several months of leave to bond with their children. Historically, some reforms are striking for the signals they send about gender norms of care. In this paper, we argue there are five distinct types of fathers' leave that differ in their potential messages about fatherhood. Using new and original measures, we examine the development of each leave type, total leave provisions and the duration of well‐paid leave across 23 affluent democracies over the last half century. We find that welfare states have increasingly established well‐paid and non‐transferable leave provisions promoted by family policy experts, but such provisions remain underfunded. Transferable parental leave entitlements, when offered, are typically more generous. We also find countries vary but are historically consistent in how they distribute benefits based on fathers' earnings. Overall, this presents indicators that lay necessary groundwork for advancements in comparative policy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertility rates have been declining in most high-income countries. Singapore is at the forefront of developing pronatalist policies to increase birth rates. This study examines perceptions towards pronatalist policies among men and women in Singapore and compares which policies are perceived as the most important contributors to the conduciveness for childbearing. Using data from the Singapore Perceptions of the Marriage and Parenthood Package study (N = 2000), the results from dominance analysis highlight two important findings. First, paternity leave, shared parental leave, and the Baby Bonus are the top three contributors to the conduciveness to have children. Second, the combined positive effect of financial incentives and work–life policies is perceived to be favorable to fertility. The findings suggest that low-fertility countries may wish to consider adopting this basket of policies as they are like to be regarded as supportive of childbearing. Although previous research suggests that pronatalist policies may only have a modest effect on fertility, the findings raise further questions as to whether fertility may decline even further in the absence of these policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines institutional change in father‐specific leave ‐ a centre‐piece of the EU's work‐life balance directive (WLBD) ‐ from the perspective of gradual institutional change. The WLBD, a highly contentious directive, represents a litmus test for the possible impact of the European pillar of social rights (EPSR), on welfare state institutions, which are responsible for the organisation, financing and delivery of social rights in member states. The analysis comprises in‐depth case studies in Denmark, Germany, France and Poland, with different combinations of family and parental leave policies prior to the WLBD. The findings reveal that the EU's directive is leading to convergence in paternity leave, but to divergence in parental leave. Our study is important because it shows that even if EU directives in social policy in principle can lead to upwards social convergence across the EU, when they are relatively weak in terms of precise constraint, for instance, for the level of remuneration for leave, this leads to differentiated integration. This could undermine the very purpose of the EPSR, which seeks to improve social rights for all citizens across the EU. Similar dynamics are likely to be present in other areas at the welfare state‐labor market nexus, such as minimum wages or platform work, where the EU is also developing regulation under the auspices of the EPSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientific Annals of the 'Al. I. Cuza' University, Iasi. Sociology & Social Work / Analele Stiintifice ale Universitatii 'Al. I. Cuza' Iasi Sociologie si Asistenta Sociala is the property of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article investigates how mothers' and fathers' daily time use changed across social classes from 1990 to 2013 in Germany. In the 2000s, Germany's adherence to the male breadwinner model was eroded by labor and family policy reforms typical of the adult worker model, which assumes individual self-sufficiency. The implications for gender and class inequality have been heatedly discussed. Drawing on the German Time Use Survey, I find that gender equality in the division of labor is greatest among full-time dual-earner couples with standard schedules. The prevalence of this pattern increased among the middle- and upper-class in historically conservative western Germany, but declined across classes in formerly socialist eastern Germany. In parallel, nonstandard work patterns and dual-joblessness gained in importance among lower-class couples, particularly in eastern Germany. I conclude that the adult worker model benefited mothers with access to standard full-time jobs but at the cost of greater class polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan has one of the world's most family‐friendly parental leave systems. However, a government survey conducted in 2020 found that less than 13 percent of male respondents exercised their right to take paternity leave, leaving the burden of child‐rearing to the mothers. Although Japan's Government has made parental leave a top priority, the effects on society are still modest. Work culture, labor regulation, and gender bias are some of the challenges in the imbalanced parenting problem. Solving a society‐related issue requires a holistic approach that considers complex multidimensional aspects. This paper uses the Unified Architecture Framework to model a Social Enterprise by investigating the Japanese parenting problem. We use the challenges and drivers identified in the Japanese case to explore viewpoints that place the human aspect of parenting together with business and policymaking. Lastly, we introduce the next parenting phase considering principles from Society 5.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Universities could positively impact the health and well-being of employees through workplace wellness programs (WWP). OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of WWP among Asia-Pacific universities, identify gaps and challenges, and solutions to challenges. METHODS: An online survey was sent to members of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities to assess programs on physical fitness, nutrition/weight, mental health/stress, family support, chronic disease prevention, and safety. RESULTS: Employees at 28 universities in 13 economies completed the survey on behalf of their university. Most common WWP were paid maternity/paternity leave (89.3% /85.7%), disaster preparedness training (85.7%), fitness challenges (78.6%), written policies regarding discrimination/hate speech (75.0%), and quiet rest areas (71.4%). However, few addressed childcare, breastfeeding support, workplace sexual harassment, tobacco use, or mental health. Programs rarely aligned with the reported goal of increasing employee morale, but instead resulted from government mandates. Many universities offered sporadic, one-off programs but lacked comprehensive, coordinated programming and adequate evaluation procedures. Key challenges were low employee participation, limited budget, and lack of leadership support. This study highlights the need for improved program administration, information dissemination, data collection to evaluate impact, and leadership support. CONCLUSION: WWP could benefit universities and employees but should be implemented and evaluated as part of a comprehensive campus wellness culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender inequality in infant caregiving contributes to gender inequality in paid work, especially since workers often become parents during pivotal career stages. Whether women and men have equal access to paid leave for infant care can meaningfully shape patterns of caregiving in ways that have long-term economic impacts. We used a longitudinal database of paid leave policies in 193 countries to examine how the availability of paid leave for infant caregiving for each parent, the duration of leave reserved for each parent, and the existence of any incentives to encourage gender equity in leave-taking changed globally from 1995 to 2022. We find that the share of countries globally providing paid paternity leave increased four-fold from 13% to 56%, while the share providing paid maternity leave increased from 89% to 96%. Nevertheless, substantial gender disparities in leave duration persist: only 6% of the total paid leave available to families was reserved for fathers and an additional 11% of paid leave was available to either parent. Building on the global progress in providing paid leave to fathers over the past three decades will be critical to advancing gender equality at home and at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on fundamental social legal measures that currently make it easier for an employed parent (man) to care for a child shortly after birth and on newly proposed measures as a result of the transposition of the European Parliament and the Council Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of June 20, 2019, on Work-Life Balance for Parents and Carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU. These measures should more fully fulfil the value approach of reconciling parents’ family and working life (expressed as a goal in the Article 33 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union). The subject of the analysis is the parental leave of the child’s father in the period shortly after the birth (de lege ferenda paternity leave) and parental leave for the purpose of deepening the care of the child and the related cash benefits, such as maternity and parental allowance. Finally, the question of the performance of the parent’s gainful activity while receiving maternity benefits covering the introduced paternity leave is also outlined.

This article explores novel forms of proactive support for fathers in organizations and analyzes how newly instituted organizational promoters of father‐friendliness in Germany (organizational consultants, fathers' representatives, and fathers' networks) legitimize and strengthen organizational acceptance of fathers' use of family‐friendly workplace arrangements. Bringing together the notions of organizational masculinity, the ideal worker norm, and postfeminism, the paper focuses on caring formations of postfeminist masculinity at work and how they contribute to gender change in organizations. The analysis shows that organizational promoters construct father‐friendliness in three ways (I) by constructing a new, "caring" organizational masculinity, (II) by creating organizational value for care‐related practices, (III) by framing father‐friendliness as a prerequisite for gender equality. Our theoretical argument is that configurations of positive masculinities are possible within a postfeminist culture, and they produce incremental yet limited gender change through a reshaped organizational masculinity and a reframed "ideal worker" within organizations. The study of a rather unique group of change agents in organizations shows how additional offerings for fathers might contribute to changing gendered assumptions about care in organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]