Finance & economics | Free exchange

Does motherhood hurt women’s pay?

Two new studies suggest not—at least in the long run, and in Scandinavia

Illustration of a pregnant woman lying down with an arrow going up above it.
Illustration: Álvaro Bernis

Returning from his paternity leave last week, your columnist was keen to get writing. After all, numerous studies say parents’ careers can suffer after they have children. Best to immediately dispel any notion that his might do so. But then he remembered that he is a man, and went to get a coffee. For the child penalty, as the career hit is known by economists, is commonly believed to affect mothers alone.

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This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “The fading motherhood penalty”

From the June 15th 2024 edition

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