Policy Alternatives for Solving Work-Family Conflict

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Volume 596, Issue 1, p. 226-231

Abstract

The failure of highly educated women to stay in the labor market represents a wasted societal investment. Despite publicity suggesting that educated mothers are increasingly staying home, the long-term trend is toward greater work effort by all mothers, especially highly educated ones. Policy measures can address the reasons some women do drop out by making it more possible for professionals, as well as other workers, to combine work and family. In addition, the double standard in parenting needs to be attacked so that, eventually, men are just as likely as women to take care of children at the same level of intensity and women's and men's labor force participation patterns will look even more similar than they do today.