The main aim of this paper is to measure the extent to which part-time work enhances fertility for married or cohabiting women of fertile age. the study covers eleven European countries. the data used are a pool sample of five waves of the European Community Household Panel. Given that we believe that the decisions concerning fertility and labor market status are taken jointly, we carry out a simultaneous estimation approach.
Results suggest that policy makers wishing to implement adequate part-time schedules so as to enhance fertility should look at the part-time schedules available in Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands, which enhance fertility for women who take advantage of this flexibility measure so as to reconcile family and work.
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