The Role of Partners' Support for Women's Reentry Into Employment After a Child Related Career Break in Germany
In the present study, the effect of partners' social support on women's reentry into the labor market is examined by means of discrete time event history analysis using the German Socio Economic Panel (1984 2013) In doing so, we take into account partners' instrumental and emotional support. A special focus is placed on the moderating effect of partners' relative resources on partners' support. Results reveal that both partners' instrumental and partners' emotional support play a major role in women's return to employment. Particularly with a more egalitarian division of domestic labor and child care, women have a higher likelihood of returning to the labor market. However, a partner's reduction of working hours can also accelerate women's reemployment. In addition, we find moderating effects of partners' resource constellations on partners' support: with a partner's increasing comparative advantage, help with housework facilitates labor market reentry, while educational homogamy moderates the effect of a partner's emotional support.