Parenting Leave Policies and Their Variations

Abstract

Abstract There is striking cross-country variation in leave policy, with a lot of ambiguity and complexity in policy development and design. This chapter reveals and thinks through some of these complexities by analyzing the main trends in parenting leave policy, with particular emphasis on gender and social inequalities. The chapter starts with a literature review, focusing on studies considering the relationship between leave policy and gender and social inequalities in employment and care. It then utilizes this strand of literature to explore cross-country and intra-country variations in leave policy in OECD countries, providing a deeper insight into (1) gender orientations underlying leave policy development and their implications; (2) the heterogeneity of leave entitlements within countries (i.e., their variation on a number of dimensions, such as socioeconomic status, territory, family status, or sexual orientation); and (3) the importance of how leave policies relate to and shape broader work-care policies and norms. By pointing out some of the “mechanisms” through which policies frame inequalities in parents’ abilities to engage in care and employment, the chapter calls for further research to yield a better understanding of heterogeneities and contradictions embedded in leave policies within countries, as well as the congruence between leaves and other policies and provisions.