Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0008-7274-3870

Graduation Year

2026

Date of Submission

12-2025

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Economics

Reader 1

Angela Vossmeyer

Terms of Use & License Information

Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2025 Josefine C Byström

Abstract

Family leave policies play a central role in shaping women’s participation and advancement in the labor market. This study investigates whether the relationship between maternity leave duration and women’s labor outcomes has changed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-country panel spanning multiple years with fixed effects, this study examines two related outcomes: women’s labor force participation and representation in leadership. Prior to 2011, maternity leave duration displayed opposite non-linear patterns across these outcomes: an inverted U-shape for labor force participation, peaking at moderate leave lengths, and a U-shape for women’s leadership, which improved only at longer durations of around 40 weeks. After COVID-19, both relationships become statistically insignificant, suggesting that broader structural changes, such as the rise of remote and flexible work, have altered how family policies influence women’s economic roles. These findings highlight the need to reconsider traditional assumptions about maternity leave design in light of evolving post-pandemic labor markets.

Download

Share

COinS