Parental leave: How it affects the income of doctoral candidates!

Parental leave: How it affects the income of doctoral candidates!

The effects of parental leave on the income of mothers and fathers with doctorates are the focus of a current study by the University of Würzburg. In cooperation with the German Center for University and Science Research (DZHW), the researchers analyzed data from a nationally representative survey that includes over 5,000 doctoral graduates from the 2014 cohort. The study covers the first seven years after completing your doctorate and highlights specific trends and tendencies in the use of parental leave.

A significant finding of the study shows that almost 80 percent of the doctoral graduates surveyed take parental leave at least once. The gender ratio is particularly striking: While only 2 percent of mothers forego parental leave, the figure is already 33 percent for fathers. Mothers not only take parental leave more frequently, but also for longer periods of time. The majority of mothers surveyed (56 percent) take parental leave for more than a year, whereas fathers usually choose shorter breaks of one to seven months. These differences in take-up contribute significantly to a persistent gender income gap.

Gender inequality and income differences

The problem of gender inequality in the labor market has another profound aspect. A study by the EconPol Europe network shows that mothers in their 30s earn on average 70 to 80 percent less than their male colleagues of the same age. For couples without children, the difference in salaries is less than five percent. While fathers are often not negatively affected by parenthood and remain employed more often, the working conditions for mothers are radically different.

The high level of part-time work among mothers plays a crucial role. Mothers in this age segment are four times more likely to work part-time than women without children. These working patterns not only lead to an immediate loss of income, but also strengthen long-term financial dependencies, which is encouraged by the spouse splitting in the German tax and transfer system.

Demand for change

The results of the Würzburg study support the assumptions about the negative effects of parental leave on professional careers and income, especially for women. A longer stay during parental leave usually leads to income disadvantages, which are particularly pronounced for mothers. The researchers make it clear that the unequal take-up of parental leave also has a deep impact on women's earning prospects.

These challenges urgently require a social debate about the design of parental leave models and the support of fathers so that they are less affected by professional disadvantages caused by parental leave. The professional success of parents should not be defined by gender, but by actual qualifications and commitment. The topics of career success measurement and economic justice must be addressed even more intensively in the future.

In summary, the study finds that despite a slowly increasing awareness of gender equality in the labor market, the reality remains a major challenge for many mothers. The income differences between mothers and fathers are alarmingly high not only in Germany, but also in international comparison, which is why a reform of the social framework seems urgently necessary.

University of Würzburg reports that the study deals with the long and short parental leave of mothers and fathers with doctorates. Additionally provides Mirror found that fathers often refrain from taking parental leave Time examines the persistent income differences between mothers and fathers in a broader European context.