Tightening the Work Requirement for Subsidized Childcare and Maternal Employment

Abstract：We study the effects of a Dutch reform that tightened work requirements for subsidized childcare on maternal employment. Before 2011, Dutch families were entitled to unlimited subsidized childcare hours for children under age 4 if both parents worked. In 2012, a reform capped subsidized childcare hours at 140% of the hours worked by the parent who worked less. To address potential adjustments in work and childcare hours after the 2012 reform, we focus on families whose parental work hours and older siblings' childcare hours were documented before 2012. Using a triple-difference approach, we exploit variations across families based on timing, presence of a toddler-aged younger child, and whether the new hours constraint would have affected older siblings before 2012. Our findings show that affected families experienced a significant decrease in mothers' labor force participation, while effects on fathers were minimal and statistically insignificant. We also find suggestive evidence of modest increases in labor supply and earnings for some mothers who remained employed.

报告时间：2025年4月10日，下午1:30        

线下地点：73882必赢最新官网4号学院楼，二楼玻璃会议室

主办单位：73882必赢最新官网数量经济研究中心、73882必赢最新官网73882必赢最新官网

协办单位：《财经论丛》编辑部

嘉宾介绍：

 张宏亮，美国麻省理工学院（MIT）博士，浙江大学73882必赢最新官网新百人计划研究员（一类）、博士生导师，劳动经济研究所副所长。主要从事经济学微观实证研究，特别是因果推断方法在劳动经济学、公共经济学、发展经济学、城市经济学等领域的应用。其研究成果发表于权威经济学综合期刊Journal of European Economic Association、International Economic Review以及Journal of Public Economics、Journal of Development Economics（2篇）、Journal of Urban Economics，Economics of Education Review等顶尖领域期刊。