Date of Award
January 2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Economics & Finance
First Advisor
David T. Flynn
Abstract
The persistence of the gender wage gap in countries throughout the world has sparked several theories as to its cause and possible solutions. One theory centers on the decisions faced by a woman regarding children and fertility throughout her career. Typically, as the primary caregivers for children, women are more likely to interrupt their careers or leave the labor force entirely as a result. This thesis uses a fixed-effects model using a panel dataset of 18 countries with observations from 2000 to 2010 to evaluate whether paid maternity leave has an effect on the breadth of the gender wage gap. The effects of paid maternity leave on the gender wage gap has some policy implications, particularly for those countries like Australia, Denmark, and the United States which have not implemented paid maternity leave legislation.
Recommended Citation
Baxter, Rachel, "Effects Of Paid Maternity Leave On The Gender Wage Gap" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 1396.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/1396