Maternity and Labor Markets: Impact of Legislation in Colombia

Arbeitspapier

This study seeks to determine the impact on female labor outcomes of the amendment to the Colombian labor law that extended maternity leave from 12 to 14 weeks (Law 1468 of July 2011). To identify this impact, labor market outcomes of two groups of women with different fertility rates are compared. The study finds evidence that as a result of the extension of the maternity leave period, women in the high-fertility age group experience an increase in inactivity rates, informality, and self-employment. The study points to the need for a redesign of maternity protection policy that would enable the economic and social costs of bearing children to be shared by both parents and that may generate social change regarding the importance of paternal care.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IDB Working Paper Series ; No. IDB-WP-583

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Labor Economics Policies ; Labor Law
• Subject: maternity leave ; female labor market ; labor regulation

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Ramírez Bustamante, Natalia ; Tribin Uribe, Ana Maria ; Vargas, Carmiña O.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
• (where): Washington, DC
• (when): 2015

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/115516
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET