Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Zhelyazkova, Nevena
Author-Email: nevena.zhelyazkova@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT/MGSoG
Title: Male use of parental leave in Luxembourg: Empirical analysis of administrative
	 records
Abstract: The study investigates the decisions of fathers to use parental leave at 
	 the individual level. The focus is on the opportunity cost fathers would 
	 face for using the leave. Opportunity cost is measured in two ways: as 
	 the difference between the parental leave benefit and the salary of the 
	 father and as the mean salary growth for a period of six months. The 
	 first measure is a proxy for the direct opportunity cost, while the 
	 second aims to capture opportunity costs of being away from the 
	 workplace in terms of foregone promotion opportunities. Data for the 
	 analysis are based on anonymous administrative records of fathers 
	 working in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The analysis deploys a 
	 duration model to investigate fathers' use of parental leave throughout 
	 an observation period of five years. The results of the study suggest a 
	 negative, although non-linear, relationship between foregone income and 
	 the hazard of taking parental leave. Surprisingly, however, salary 
	 growth in the six-month period prior to taking parental leave has a 
	 positive, rather than a negative effect on the hazard of taking parental 
	 leave.
Classification-JEL: J130, J160
Keywords: Parental leave, work-family reconciliation, fatherhood 
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2013
Number: 045
File-URL: http://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2013/wp2013-045.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2013045