The labour force participation of mothers with young children has increased considerably over the last four decades. For example, there was a marked rise in the participation rate of mothers aged 20 to 49 with a child three years old or younger, which grew from 33.5% in 1976 to 77.1% in 2022. Over this period, new family-friendly employment policies—such as maternity/parental leaves and childcare policies—have been introduced, making it easier for women to remain employed after welcoming a child. The current analysis focuses on maternity and parental leave.
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