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Has the COVID-19 pandemic widened the gender gap in paid work hours in Spain?

Author

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  • Maite BLÁZQUEZ

    (Dpto. Análisis Económico: Teoría Económica e Historia Económica, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

  • Ainhoa HERRARTE

    (Dpto. Análisis Económico: Teoría Económica e Historia Económica, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

  • Ana I. MORO-EGIDO

    (Dpto. Teoría e Historia Económica, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Granada)

Abstract
This paper analyzes the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the within-household gender gap in relation to paid work hours in full-time employed heterosexual couples in Spain. Using the Spanish Labor Force Survey (2019–2020) and a difference-in-differences method, we analyze three stages of the pandemic: strict lockdown, de-escalation, and partial closures to study the short-term effects and potential medium-term effects on gender inequality in terms of paid work hours. Our results suggest that during the strict lockdown period there was a tendency to fall back on traditional family gendered patterns to manage the work–life balance, especially when young children are present in male-headed households. However, this phenomenon seems to be a short-term consequence of the pandemic. The sector of activity (essential or non-essential) has also played a key role, the gender gap increased in male-headed households with female partners employed in non-essential sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Maite BLÁZQUEZ & Ainhoa HERRARTE & Ana I. MORO-EGIDO, 2024. "Has the COVID-19 pandemic widened the gender gap in paid work hours in Spain?," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 90(2), pages 313-348, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ctl:louvde:v:90:y:2024:i:2:p:313-348
    DOI: 10.1017/dem.2022.15
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; Gender Gap; Hours of work; Occupation and activity; Presence of Children;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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