Career Break Research Articles

The long-term impact of parenthood on women and men’s income in 26 European countries

Abstract Background Historically, women’s roles were predominantly associated with motherhood, leading to significant career interruptions and lower incomes compared to men. As gender roles have evolved, as did labor policies protecting parents, it would be expected that income penalties in women and income premiums in men would attenuate, especially in the long term. This study aims to assess the association between the number of children and the income earned by women and men in older adulthood. Methods We used data from wave 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which includes 43,772 participants with 50 years old or over and their partners, living in 26 European countries. Multilevel analysis was employed to estimate the association between having children and the total, employment-related, and pensions-related incomes, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and clustering by country. Results The highest median annual total income was identified for individuals living in Bismarkian (€19,000) and Scandinavian countries (€17,708), more than twice the income earned in the European remaining countries. Having had children was associated with lower total income (OR = 0.870 for 1-2 children, OR = 0.773 for 3-5 children, OR = 0.666 for more than 5 children; p < 0.005), and women received lower total incomes (OR = 0.694; p < 0.001). These patterns were also found for employment- and pensions-related incomes. Conclusions There is a long-term negative effect of having had children, and of the number of children, on income, both employment and pension-related, but women continue to receive about 30% lower incomes than men. The adoption of comprehensive policies stimulating a more equal gender distribution of childrearing responsibilities, while protecting parenthood, along with recognizing caregiving responsibilities in pension calculations, could mitigate these disparities and promote gender equity and better living conditions at the older ages.

Motherhood penalty for female physicians in Japan: evidence from a medical school’s alumni data

BackgroundFemale physicians with children often work fewer hours and take fewer shifts due to additional family responsibilities. This can contribute to a gender pay gap in the medical profession. However, limited research in Japan has quantitatively examined the factors contributing to this gap. This study aims to address this gap in the literature.MethodsWe analyzed the alumni data from a medical school in Hokkaido, Japan, for 260 physicians (198 males and 62 females). We used multivariable regression models to identify factors influencing earnings from medical practice, with a focus on gender, work schedules, parenthood, and any career interruptions related to childcare.ResultsOur analysis revealed a 25.0% earnings gap between male and female physicians. Nearly all female physicians with children experienced career interruptions due to childcare, while this was uncommon for male physicians. When these childcare-related interruptions were factored in, the gender pay gap narrowed by 9.7%. After adjusting for work schedules and specialty choices, female physicians with children still earned 37.2% less than male physicians, while those without children earned only 4.4% less. This suggests that motherhood is a significant driver of the gender pay gap among physicians.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the negative impact of motherhood on female physicians’ earnings. This emphasizes the need for policy measures to mitigate the disadvantages faced by mothers in the medical profession.

The parental pay gap over the life cycle: Children, jobs, and labor supply

Women earn less than men, and that is especially true of mothers relative to fathers. Much of the widening occurs after family formation when mothers reduce their hours of work. But what happens when the kids grow up? To answer that question, we estimate three earning gaps: the “motherhood penalty,” the “price of being female,” and the “fatherhood premium.” When added together these three produce the “parental gender gap,” defined as the difference in earnings between mothers and fathers. We estimate (log) earnings gaps for college graduates born around 1960 using longitudinal data from the NLSY79 and from the LEHD-Census that track respondents from their twenties to their fifties. As the children grow up and as women work more hours, the motherhood penalty is greatly reduced. But women, especially mothers, seem willing throughout their working lives to trade lower pay for various amenities, such as working in firms with management practices that are less penalizing of career interruptions or of shorter work schedules. Fathers, however, manage to expand their relative earnings gains as their children age, particularly among those working in time-intensive jobs, irrespective of work hours or firm fixed effects. The parental gender gap in earnings remains substantial over the family lifecycle.

Career Interruption Stigma: A Complex, Fluid, and Dynamic Construct

Career Interruption Stigma: A Complex, Fluid, and Dynamic Construct

Childcare restrictions and gender gap in labor outcomes

Purpose This study aims to contribute to the literature by examining the gender gap effects of childcare restrictions. Specifically, not using professional childcare services due to issues like access, quality or costs. Additionally, we explore the long-run consequences of extended work interruptions for childcare. Design/methodology/approach Using a specialized cross-sectional module from the 2018 Spanish Labor Force Survey, we estimated a set of linear regression models to capture the short and long run effects of childcare restrictions in labor market outcomes. Findings We identify substantial gender gaps in labor force, employment, full-time employment and hours worked among parents facing childcare constraints. In contrast, parents without such restrictions experience much lower gender gaps. The long-run analysis reveals that mainly career breaks lasting 2 years or more significantly diminish the labor supply and employment rates of mothers. Originality/value Our study goes beyond examining the effects of childcare restrictions on mothers’ labor market behavior and explicitly studies the gender disparities related to these restrictions. Moreover, our database includes information on work flexibility for childcare, allowing us to explore whether such flexibility can help mitigate these gender gaps. Additionally, we assess the long-term effects of work interruptions due to childcare responsibilities on women’s labor outcomes.

Career Disruption and Employment Status of Korean Family Caregivers of Older Adults Using Home-Based Care.

This study utilized nationally approved data from the 2022 Long-Term Care Survey of Korea to examine the factors associated with career disruptions and employment status among family caregivers of home-based care recipients. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were employed to address the research questions. The results indicated that 19.39% of family caregivers of home-based care recipients experienced career disruptions due to informal caregiving. Demographic factors such as gender, age of family caregivers, and their relationship with care recipients predicted their employment status. Gender was a significant explanatory factor, as daughters/daughters-in-law were more likely to be in insecure employment positions than sons. Lower household income and older age were also associated with employment insecurity. Recommendations include coverage expansion, family support programs, and pension credit for family caregivers to meet the needs of care recipients and their families.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Elite Swimmers and Water Polo Players: Lessons for the Future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global daily life, including the world of elite athletes. This paper examines the multifaceted impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on elite swimmers and water polo athletes, specifically their mental health, their concerns over the virus, their intentions of getting vaccinated, and sleep disturbances that they may have faced. We conducted a cross-sectional study on elite swimmers and water polo players, using an anonymous questionnaire. A total of 200 elite athletes participated. The majority of the participants reported a negative impact on their mental health, screened positive for insomnia (n = 107 (53.5%), with females (n = 101; 57.7%), swimmers (n = 100, 66.7%), and university students (n = 71, 71.7%) being more vulnerable (p < 0.001). Concerns about contracting the disease especially during important training or tournament periods and potential career disruption also affected their psychological well-being. While the majority (75%) had the intention of getting vaccinated, an alarming percentage was yet uncertain over its decision. This study highlights the significant psychological distress faced by elite aquatic athletes during the pandemic. It emphasizes the difficulties faced by elite swimmers and water polo athletes and determines not only the importance of addressing the vaccination intentions of athletes, but also how critical it is to confront the challenges they face both for their personal health and for the restoration of world sports to their pre-pandemic state. More large-scale studies are required to inform policies targeted at minimizing disruption to the athletes' career, provision of information on preventive measures and vaccination, and improvement in psychological well-being in case of similar major public health issues in the future. Additionally, this study calls for further research to explore the unique challenges faced by aquatic athletes, such as those related to their training environments and fear of contagion, to better support them in future public health crises.

Daughterwork in times of social upheaval

This paper focuses on adult daughters’ experiences of daughtering and role changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between daughters and their parents is a topic of importance given its importance in families and potential to impact wellbeing. The pandemic presented a disruption to women’s lives in multiple domains, creating a need for rapid change and adaptation, though daughters’ experiences have been missing from our recent cultural conversation of the invisible load women shoulder. The overarching research questions for this project is: How do participants describe their daughtering experiences and relational communication strategies during and after a time of social, familial, and career disruption? Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews of women who identified change to their daughtering, professional, and family lives, this paper discusses the ways a crisis can provide opportunities for flexible daughtering and meaningful connection as well as a time to reflect on one’s most important relationships.

Fashion Experience Contributions to Local Social Sustainability: An Example of Women with Career Interruptions in Korea

Metropolitan-centred development causes social issues including welfare and quality-of-life problems. Focusing on women who have interrupted their careers, this study investigates the effects of a fashion DIY programme using cultural heritage on the local community’s social sustainability in South Korea. The methods include a literature review, action research, and in-depth interviews. Results show that social and cultural capital are interrelated and can contribute to social sustainability. The fashion DIY programme of textile and fashion item production through Korean traditional natural dyeing technique provides a fashion experience that can create social relationships during participation, provide opportunities to strengthen the local community’s identity, and contribute to an approach towards social sustainability. The results have implications for social sustainability through strengthening social relationship and cultural capital by facilitating change in a patriarchal industrial structure. The research is significant as it examined the problems of women with interrupted careers from the perspective of social sustainability as well as the role of fashion experiences.

Study on Anxiety Following Sports Injury Using the Sports Injury Anxiety Scale

Background: Anxiety is a common emotional response among athletes, often exacerbated by the occurrence of sports injuries.Objective: To study anxiety among sports personnel following sports injuries and to explore the correlation of demographic and injuryrelated variables with Sports Injury Anxiety Scale (SIAS) scores.Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted in the Northeastern region of India. Convenient sampling was employed to recruit sports personnel who sustained injuries during sports events or practice in this cross-sectional study. The SIAS questionnaire was utilized to quantify anxiety levels and demographic variables were correlated with anxiety scores.Results: Out of 97 cases, participants aged 20-30 with 6-10 years of experience reported 75% experiencing physical injuries. The most common injuries were contusions (31%) and fractures/dislocations (28%). Hospitalization occurred in 10% of cases, and 37% took a career break averaging 0-2 weeks. Factors like age, sex, and experience did not significantly affect anxiety levels, but athletes with fractures, longer career breaks, and less experience showed higher anxiety. Overall, 85% of athletes experienced anxiety, with 15% having severe anxiety, 70% average anxiety, and 15% no or borderline anxiety.Conclusion: The study’s findings will contribute to a better understanding of the psychological challenges faced by athletes during injury rehabilitation and their eventual return to sports in the Northeastern region of IndiaInternational Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 08 No. 02 Apr’24 Page: 185-191

대중문화예술인의 스트레스와 제도적 요인의 관계 연구

This study aims to analyze the stress experienced by popular culture artists in the changing work environment. This study used the data from the '2021 Survey on Artists &amp; Activities' in Korea. We analyzed the impact of institutional factors on artists' stress by popular culture field through Ordered logistic regression analysis between film, broadcast, and popular music artists and their stress levels. Career Interruption, Activities period, education, On-the-job injury, residence area and full-time status of broadcast artist significantly affected artist's stress. Also, Public Pension Salaried Workers of broadcast artist, and Group membership of popular music artist significantly affected artists' stress. On the other hand, Experience with Artist Unemployment Insurance were not found to be significant variables. This study suggests that the impact of institutional factors may differ depending on the nature of the popular culture sector, and shows the social limitations of the Artist Unemployment Insurance. The findings suggest that institutional improvements are needed, such as including artists in the scope of existing welfare schemes.

External Return-To-Work Programs Impact On Women Relauching Their Careers

Women have higher drop-out rates during their professional careers, mainly due to family, child, or elderly care; furthermore, they have more difficulty returning to the workforce even if they are highly qualified, making the future of gender equality in the workplace a continuing challenge. Thus, encouraging women to re-enter the workforce after a career break makes sense from a gender perspective and, at the same time, can also add value to the economy by providing qualified and diversified resources to companies (large ones or small-medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs). Additionally, this encouragement can have short- to medium-term positive effects on career-break women who would like to return to the workforce, as well as long-term effects due to lower or no pension contributions during their career break. The aim of this study is to identify the push and pull factors affecting women´s ability to return to the job market after a career break. Moreover, the purpose of this study is to understand what has been studied about the impact of return-to-work/returnship programs (RTW) and externally provided return-to-work programs (RTWE) in helping bring back women to the labor market. The research is qualitative and exploratory, based on a literature review. The findings of this research provide an overview of relevant factors related to women’s return to the market and allow for new research avenues on RTWE’s outcomes for both women and small and medium-sized enterprises. In terms of originality, the goal of this research is to encourage data-driven debates about the potential implications of women's return-to-work programs as a strategy to help women return to the workforce and whether this strategy can be adopted by different-sized companies.

The Future of Women in Technology : Challenges and Recommendations

When only women turn up to a panel on challenges for women in technology, how do we then reach out to industry, academia and government to encourage them to listen to the current challenges experienced by women in tech. Technology is rapidly changing and we are seeing women disadvantaged by less training opportunities, lack of role models, perceived penalties for taking time off to have children or discharge caring responsibilities as well as the risk that their jobs are subject to more automation. Multiple workshops at the Institute of Science and Technology highlighted significant challenges for women in tech, the data from our empirical study illustrates these challenges in detail. With the workplace still male dominated and the landscape changing rapidly, women have a significant role to play and we need to ensure that role is not only facilitated but the existing challenges are mitigated. This is a discussion paper with empirical data that illustrates challenges currently experienced by women in tech and how we can move forward to ensure not only equal opportunity but remove some of the challenges currently experienced. In this paper we have not considered the same impact on men who take career breaks for reasons of caring responsibilities.

Robbed or Released by the Pandemic? The Dynamics of Integrating and Situating Musician Identity Learning

The aim of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of musician identity learning. Identity is a significant driving-force behind many artistic vocations. However, identity may also pose challenges such as vulnerability, burnout and conflict of commitment. The paper focuses on musician identity, based on interviews with classical and rock musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses reveal that the musicians are either in integrating or situating musician identity learning, two different processes discussed as dynamically interrelated and depending on life situation. The paper argues that breaks of normality accentuate challenges stemming from musician identity and that the proposed learning processes are responses to those challenges, which is previously under-explored. The paper concludes that many musicians or other artistic practitioners likely struggle to de-centralize their identity in order to foster a sustainable vocational career and personal growth, and that temporary career breaks may provide necessary relief and learning space.

중년 기혼 여성 근로자의 일생활균형에 관한 경험과 의미 탐색

This study aimed to explore how the experiences and meanings of work-life balance evolve across the life stages of middle-aged, married female workers. The study participants were 10 middle-aged, married female workers, aged 45 to 60, who had work experiences during both the parenting and middle-aged stages. The findings revealed that half of the participants experienced career interruptions due to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare, influenced by social contexts such as family expectations of maternal roles, the passive involvement of husbands in childcare, and the absence of social care systems. Overall, satisfaction with work-life balance during this period was low, and it was a time when 'balance' itself was challenging to achieve. As these participants entered middle age, they reduced their family and parenting roles due to their children's independence, leading them to re-enter the workforce or focus more on their careers and showcase their abilities in the workplace. The key experiences of work-life balance during middle age included 'time for oneself, self-discovery, maintaining health and fitness, immersion and enjoyment in work, and changes in roles and relationships within the family.' The significance of this study lies in attempting to explore the experiences of middle-aged, married female workers, a group often overlooked as critical subjects of work-life balance discourse, and in considering the life context of middle age.

Perceptions regarding the impact of gender on training and career advancement among gastroenterologists in India and other South Asian countries.

There are limited studies on the impact of gender on training and career advancement in gastroenterology. The aim was to study this impact and understand the perceptions of work-life balance and beliefs regarding gender dynamics among gastroenterologists in India and other South Asian countries. A web-based survey was conducted among trainees and attending physicians in South Asia from November 15, 2021, to March 30, 2022. The survey instrument had four components: demographic features, training, career advancement and work-life balance. As many as 622 gastroenterologists completed the survey, of which 467 responses were from India (mean age: 41.1years; females: 11.5%). A higher proportion of female respondents from India believed that gender bias in recruiting and training had negatively impacted their careers (40.7% females vs. 1.5% males). Radiation hazard for fertility (11.1% females vs. 1.9% males, p < 0.001) and as a health concern (14.8% females vs. 5.1% males, p = 0.005) were significant career deterrents for females. A higher proportion of female participants from India faced a career interruption (59.3% females vs. 30.3% males, p ≤ 0.001). Common reasons were pregnancy (37%) and childcare provision (25.9%). More females believed that women were more productive than men (40.8% females vs. 16.9% males, p < 0.001) and that a salary gap existed (44.7% females vs. 29.1% males, p < 0.001). The incidence of self-perceived burnout was 63% among females and 51.6% among males (p = 0.115). Gender-related factors impact the training and career of female gastroenterologists.

Unpacking the career transition process of returning women professionals in the Indian workplaces: a qualitative study

PurposeThis study aims to explore the career transition process of women professionals when they return to the workplace after a break and re-integrate with their career aspirations.Design/methodology/approachThis research used a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews for data collection. All 20 women participants have returned to their careers after a break.FindingsThe data analysis reveals women’s career transition and re-integration process into the workplace after a career break. Supervisory support, work–life balance practices, role models, coworker support and career success emerged as factors enabling successful transition. The employing organisations’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring strategy emerged as an important mechanism for re-entry.Originality/valueAlthough previous research has studied women professionals returning after a break, the “transition process” that enables re-entry is missing.

The green ceiling for NRM careers in public service

Actors involved in environmental decision-making bring personal values that extend into the professional sphere, to varied effect. NRM professionals are encouraged to set aside personal values in the workplace. Using semi-structured interviews, this research investigated how ecocentric values are contested in public service NRM in local government in South-East Queensland, Australia. Eight participants described challenges advocating from their disciplinary expertise, communication tactics they found necessary to find purchase within their organisations, and how they felt disciplinary contestations and their workplace identity affected their career. From personal accounts, we theorise and describe a ‘green ceiling’, acting as both a social barrier and structural force limiting the expression of ecocentric values and constrains the influence of those perceived to be ecocentric in public service NRM. The green ceiling presents a framework for understanding how NRM professionals who espouse ecocentric qualities, experience slowed career progress, low job security, career interruption and workplace grief.

The High Costs of Caring: Measuring the Prevalence and Consequences of Birth-Related Career Interruptions for Immigrant Care Workers in Canada

Le présent article examine la question de la prévalence et des conséquences du retrait du marché du travail du personnel immigrant des soins à autrui au Canada après la naissance d’un enfant. Les analyses ont été menées principalement à partir des données issues de la Base de données longitudinales sur les immigrants (BDIM) de 2009-2018, en comparant un échantillon de personnes immigrantes entrées au Canada par le biais du Programme des aides familiaux résidants/Programme des aides familiaux (PAFR) avec celui des personnes qui sont arrivées dans le cadre des programmes économiques ou au titre de la catégorie du regroupement familial. Les résultats démontrent que les immigrantes PAFR étaient les plus susceptibles d’avoir subi une interruption de carrière liée à la naissance d’un enfant au cours de cette période et qu’elles avaient en moyenne des réductions de revenu beaucoup plus grandes après l’interruption, malgré la pénurie actuelle dans le secteur des soins à autrui. L’article se termine par une discussion sur les changements potentiels de la politique fédérale visant remédier aux disparités existantes.

Breaking the Vicious Circle: Macroeconomic Perspectives on Policy Interventions for Female Labor Supply and the Gender Wage Gap

ABSTRACT This paper examines the interplay between the female labour supply and wages through human capital accumulation in South Korea, highlighting the significant gender wage gap and low female labor participation. Our findings suggest that wage subsidies alone are insufficient for narrowing the gender wage gap. Targeted wage subsidies for households with infants and toddlers can mitigate career interruptions and enhance human capital for women. However, it also attracts lower-productivity women into the labor market, further exacerbating the gender wage gap. Therefore, direct labour market structural reforms, such as the Anti-Gender Discrimination Act, are essential.