Effects of family characteristics on the labor force status of older married women in Finland

Abstract

Using individual-level characteristics derived from the census of 1985 or earlier, the article examines labor force status (employment, unemployment, household work, retirement) of married Finnish women aged 45-64 on the basis of multinomial logit analysis. Controlling for background characteristics, i.e., age, education, health, industry and unemployment in the local labor market area, the effects of family characteristics were analyzed. Both higher family net income (excluding the income of the women concerned) and higher family liabilities were related to lower likelihoods of unemployment and retirement instead of employment. Household work was more likely with higher family income, but less likely with higher liabilities. A larger number of children living at home was related to the lower likelihood of women occupying non-employment statuses instead of employment. The spouses’ increasing age difference was related to the lower likelihood of unemployment and retirement instead of employment. The husband's labor force status was consistent with the wife’s labor force status.