["Parents' salary" and "freedom of choice" between paid and unpaid work: empirical results of a controversial concept].

Abstract

The author summarizes results from a study on the impact of a parents' salary in Vorarlburg, a province in western Austria. "According to this concept parents are 'paid' by the government for taking care of their children during the first years after birth, while giving up paid work in the labour market. Critics oppose this concept because of its potentially negative implications for the labour force participation of women.... It is shown that the public transfer payment substantially improves the financial situation of the families involved but also affects the distribution of money and power between the spouses within the households. Moreover, it is pointed out that the payment of a parents' salary itself has 'asymmetrical' effects, which could be balanced if more efforts were made to improve the child care facilities for children under three." (SUMMARY IN ENG)