Short-Term Employment Transitions of Women in the Israeli Labor Force

Abstract

Using data on Jewish Israeli women aged 25 to 55, the author examines patterns and determinants of women's transitions among four employment categories: regular full-time employment, reduced-hours full-time employment, part-time employment, and non-employment. Israeli women are not trapped in part-time employment. Departures from reduced-hour and part-time employment occur at higher rates than departures from full-time jobs. Women who have just given birth have an increased likelihood of moving from full-time employment to reduced-hour or part-time employment. Women in female-type occupations and those in “peripheral” jobs (jobs outside core industries) are more likely than other women to reduce their work hours or exit the labor force. The author argues that although part-time work is a valuable short-term option for many women, in the long run it preserves labor market institutions that are disadvantageous to women.