Essays in Gender and Labor Economics

This dissertation investigates the multifaceted labor market outcomes for women, with a particular focus on mothers with young children. The first chapter examines how household bargaining affects childcare expenditure among heterosexual couples with children. Traditional models assume income pooling when allocating resources towards consumption expenditure, but this study uses a household bargaining approach, suggesting that relative income and power dynamics shape spending decisions. The hypothesis is that higher earnings by wives increase their bargaining power, leading to more investment in quality childcare. This research defines childcare expenditure as a mother's private good expenditure rather than a common family expense. Analyzing data from the consumption expenditure survey (2014-2021) and the PSID dataset (1999-2021), the study finds that as the wife’s earnings increase relative to the husband's, childcare spending rises by $1,380. This suggests that higher-earning mothers prioritize investing more in childcare. The second chapter analyzes the impact of school and childcare closures during the pandemic on gender pay inequality. Using CPS data from January 2018 to December 2022 and a difference-in-difference estimation method, the study compares pre-pandemic and post-pandemic earnings of custodial mothers, custodial fathers, and non-mothers. Results show that both men and women experienced earnings growth post-pandemic. A margins plot indicates that married mothers' log of weekly earnings increased by 0.13 post-COVID, while married fathers' earnings grew by 0.09. Despite this faster growth for married mothers, they still earn less than married fathers. The presence of a motherhood penalty is evident, as custodial mothers face significant challenges in the labor market. The post-pandemic earnings premium for mothers suggests that many left the labor market, raising the average earnings of those remaining. These findings emphasize the disproportionate childcare burden on mothers and the need for policies to address gender pay inequality. The third chapter, in collaboration with Shatil Anaholy, analyzes the impact of teleworkability, gender, and the COVID-19 pandemic on working hours. Using CPS data (2016-2023) and a Difference-in-Differences analysis, results show that teleworkable jobs provide greater stability for men, while women experience greater reductions in work hours due to childcare responsibilities. These findings underscore the need for targeted policies to support women in balancing work and caregiving. Overall, this dissertation highlights economic and social factors influencing women's employment and provides insights for promoting gender equity in the labor market.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Alam Samantha, Saima

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ginther, Donna

• Labor economics
• Economics
• Childcare
• Expenditure
• Gender
• Household

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:19706

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/38014