Nonstandard Work and Child Care Choices of Married Mothers

W.E. Upjohn Institute Working Paper No. 01-74

42 Pages Posted: 28 Nov 2001

See all articles by Jean Kimmel

Jean Kimmel

Western Michigan University - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Lisa M. Powell

University of Illinois at Chicago - Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA)

Date Written: December 2001

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to examine the interplay between nonstandard employment and child care choice decisions of married mothers with young children. We draw on the 1992/93 Survey of Income and Program Participation to estimate two related econometric models of child care choice that include the choice among center, sitter, relative and parental care. First, controlling for the potential endogeneity of the nonstandard work decision, we find that being a nonstandard worker significantly reduces the likelihood of using formal modes of child care such as center and sitter care. In our second model, where we jointly estimate the work status and child care choice decisions of mothers, we find that the standard versus nonstandard work decision is more responsive to the price of child care. Finally, we conclude the paper by discussing potential policy solutions to improve the child care options for mothers with young children working in nonstandard jobs.

Keywords: nonstandard work, shift work, child care choices, Powell, Kimmel

JEL Classification: J2, J13

Suggested Citation

Kimmel, Jean and Powell, Lisa M., Nonstandard Work and Child Care Choices of Married Mothers (December 2001). W.E. Upjohn Institute Working Paper No. 01-74, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=291960 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.291960

Jean Kimmel (Contact Author)

Western Michigan University - Department of Economics ( email )

Kalamazoo, MI 49008
United States

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Lisa M. Powell

University of Illinois at Chicago - Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA) ( email )

1747 W. Roosevelt Road
MC 275
Chicago, IL 60608
United States

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