How Does Policy Matter? Fathers’ Use of Parental Leave in Germany 1999-2007

Esther Geisler, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Michaela Kreyenfeld, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

This paper studies fathers’ use of parental leave in Germany for the years 1999-2007. Our main research question is how education influences men’s likelihood of taking leave and how the family policy reform of 2007 has changed this relationship. On the one hand, studies show that highly educated men have more liberal gender role attitudes. Therefore one would expect that highly educated fathers are more likely to reduce their working time to take parental leave. On the other hand, their high opportunity costs might prevent them from taking leave. Using the German microcensuses of the years 1999-2007 we examine the determinants of men’s take-up of parental leave. Our results show that before the reform men’s education did not have a significant impact on behavior per se. After the reform, all men have become more likely to be on leave. However, the increase was strongest for highly educated men.