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The Study of Improving the Labor Force Participation of Childbearing Women 

No.: PR2080

Author: Wang, Su-Wan

Price: Not for Sale

Publication: 2018.12


Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to improve the labor force participation rate of childrearing women. This study used labor insurance and maternity benefits data from 2004 to 2007 for aged 15 to 44 women were divided into observed group (childrearing women) and comparing group (who did not receive maternity benefits for 10 years before and after each base year) to explore the working conditions between two groups. At the same time, 24 women were interviewed to provide the experiences of family support systems and government policies. The main findings were summarized as follows. 

This study found that the number of childrearing women were dominated by age 25-34 years due to the limitation for childbearing, while the majority of no child women were age 35-44 years. Both groups had more than half insured lived in the northern area, most insured worked for manufacturing, wholesale and retail industries, 40%of the insured units were small and medium-sized enterprises, There is a polarization of insured salary structure. The high income childrearing women were relatively high proportion in age and in service industries compared to middle and low income ones. According to the 12 years trace data, the employment status of childrearing women had changed greatly when the children were less than 6 years old, then gradually stayed to stable. Compared with the low and middle income childrearing women, the proportion of high income women who continued to work was high and exit labor market was low. The number of the parental leave allowance applicants increased significantly in 2006 and 2007, and the applicants' ages were gradually increased. Those applicants’ characteristics were similar to the whole childrearing women’s, while most of the applicants were engaged in manufacturing, wholesale and retail, finance and insurance, and health care and social work services. After the allowance went into effect, the proportion of maternity leave period within one year had grown fast. The proportion of low-income insured applying for the allowance was relatively lower than that of other income groups, and the industry was also quite different. According to the 12 years longitudinal analysis by women, the proportion of those who applying for subsidy women that continued work was lower than that of the overall childrearing women, and the proportion of not in labor market was 1 percentage point lower than all the childrearing women. When the working conditions affected the decision of whether the mother can take care of the child, the priority will be the childcare. For those willing to re-entering the labor market, the stable working time would be their top priority. The family support system is important for childrearing women to decide whether to take the jobs. For those who do not have a family support system, the child care mechanism becomes extremely significant. At present, maternity leave and the allowance after 6 months of work is well known for women. However, there are still a few insureds that cannot be applied. Most of the childrearing women are not aware of working for the enterprise that has more than thirty employees may request to reduce no compensation one working hour per day or to reschedule working hours. 

This study suggests that the parental leave allowance policy application period could be extended to six-year-old child, and at the same time evaluated the feasibility of all types insured be covered by parental leave benefits and of adjusting summer vacations and off time of public kindergarten to working women. Also, continuing to promote friendly family practices to all the firms, and advocating the concept that fathers have a positive impact on early childhood development, or asking outstanding enterprises disclose working hours will lead the environment toward work and family balance.