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Is There a Career Penalty for Mothers' Time Out? A Comparison of Germany, Sweden and the United States.
- Source :
- Social Forces; Dec2009, Vol. 88 Issue 2, p573-605, 33p
- Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- This article focuses on three countries with distinct policies toward motherhood and work: Germany, Sweden and the United States. We analyze the length of mothers' time out of paid work after childbirth and the short-term career consequences for mothers. In the United States, we identify a career punishment even for short timeout periods; long time-out periods increase the risk of a downward move and reduce the chances of an upward move. In Germany, long time-out periods destabilize the career and, the longer the leave, the greater the risk of either an upward or downward move. In Sweden, we find a negative effect of time out on upward moves. Hence, even in "woman-friendly" Sweden, women's career prospects are better if they return to paid work sooner rather than later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00377732
- Volume :
- 88
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Social Forces
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 47617797
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.0.0252