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Opting-Out: An Exploration of Labor Force Participation of New Mothers
Opting-Out: An Exploration of Labor Force Participation of New Mothers
Introduction
The Media has highlighted the choice of some well-educated, professional women to exit the labor force after having a baby (Belkin 2003; Wallis, 2004; Story 2005). This narrative describes a rising “revolution” of women who choose to leave their successful careers in favor of staying at home to take care of their children. Scholars argue this is a media myth: few women have the luxury of opting out. Rather, for those who do leave the labor force, many are driven primarily by lack of economic opportunities or workplace pressures. (Stone 2008; Bennetts 2007; Boushey 2005). Those pressures often include work environments incompatible or even hostile to the needs of parents with young children at home. Opting out, or merely reducing their levels of labor force participation, requires parents to forfeit future earnings. As such, it presents a major parenting penalty, paid mostly by women.
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Industry and Occupation Working Papers
Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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