Hausarbeitsteilung und erwerbsunterbrechung von müttern unter den bedingungen des neuen elterngeldgesetzes: erste empirische befunde aus bayern

Abstract

This paper analyzes the association between the duration of maternity leave and the division of housework, using a representative sample of Bavarian mothers who gave birth to their first child in 2007 under the new parenting benefit policy of the German federal government. The results show that mothers re-entering the labor market after a maximum break of 12 months after accouchement, which is in accordance with the intention of the parenting benefit policy, report more egalitarian housework arrangements than mothers with longer employment breaks. Yet, all women report a rather traditional division of labor with a relatively low contribution of their partners. Our finding that women who are highly educated and disapprove of traditional family roles report more egalitarian housework patterns is in line with previous research.