Research

Working Parents (Quick Take)

May 04, 2022

GLOBAL

The Number of Working Parents Varies Around the World

Percentage of Mothers Employed in Select Countries

Country Percentage of Mothers Employed1
Australia 68.8%
Canada 76.8%
France 73.0%
Germany 73.2%
Japan 70.6%
United Kingdom 75.1%
United States 71.2%

In OECD countries in 2019, an average of 70.9% of mothers worked.2

  • In two-partner families, 45.6% have both partners working full time.3

In the EU in 2020, 72.2% of mothers worked, while for fathers that rate was 90.0%.4

In Australia, most parents were in the workforce in 2021.5

  • 63.9% of single parents were employed. Out of those households, 78.4% had an employed single mother.6
  • 69.9% of two-parent families with dependents had two working parents.7

In the UK in 2019, 75.1% of mothes worked, compared to 92.6% of fathers.8

  • Childcare was the reason 28.5% of mothers worked fewer hours, compared to only 4.8% of fathers.9
The Burden of Unpaid Work is a Barrier for Mothers in the Paid Labor Force

A 2018 analysis showed that across the world, women perform more than three-quarters (76.2%) of unpaid care work—including looking after children, spouses, partners, or other family members.10

  • On average, women spend 4 hours and 25 minutes per day on unpaid work, compared with only 1 hour and 23 minutes for men.11
    • In the US, women spend 5 hours and 42 minutes a day on unpaid household and care work, while men spend an average of 3 hours and 36 minutes.12

Unpaid care work is a barrier because working mothers are less mobile and have less flexibility to change jobs, occupations, or locations as needed in a changing labor market.13

Parental Leave

Over 120 countries provide maternity leave of at least 14 weeks, with 184 offering some sort of time away for women by law.14

Although paid leave for fathers is not as widespread as maternity leave, it is increasing.15

Only 115 countries provide legal mandates for paternity leave, 33 more than in 2011.16

  • 32 of the 38 OECD countries reserve paid leave for fathers (either paternity or parental leave).17

Paid leave for fathers is not only usually much shorter than maternity leave, but it is often paid at a higher rate.18

Increased Paternity Leave Could Lead to Many Positive Outcomes19
  • Men who take paternity leave have reported stronger bonds with their partners and children.
  • Sharing the burden of childcare can reduce the amount of time women are out of the workforce and narrow the gender gap.
  • Taking paternity leave can result in higher retention of fathers in organizations.

CANADA

For Dual-Income Families, Children Are the Norm

Out of all dual-income couple families, 61.1% had at least one child in 2019.20

  • Of couples whose youngest child was between age 6 and 17 in 2015, 37% consisted of two parents who both worked full-time.21
  • However, a higher percentage of couples worked either part-year and/or part-time in 2015 compared to a decade previous.22

Canadian Parents’ Mandated Leave Does Not Fully Replace Wages

Maternity leave and parental leave are only paid at a rate of 55% of the employee’s salary, with a cap of $638 weekly.23

  • 53% of companies surveyed topped up their maternity benefits to replace the lost wages.24
  • 48% of companies surveyed topped up their parental benefits to replace lost wages.25

UNITED STATES

A Majority of Parents in the US Work

In 2020, both parents were employed in 59.8% of married-couple households.26

The labor force participation rate for women with children under 18 was 71.2%, compared to a rate of 92.3% for fathers.27

  • Mothers were less likely to work full time in 2020 than fathers—79.7% of mothers work full time compared to 95.6% of fathers.
Family-Friendly Company Benefits are Increasing in the US28
Benefits Offered 2016 2020
Maternity Leave 26% 53%
Paternity Leave 21% 44%
Parental Leave 17% 39%
Family Leave 18% 31%

LEARN MORE

 

How to cite this product: Working Parents: Quick Take. (May 4, 2022). Catalyst.

  1. Year is 2018 or later; see sources for correct year. OECD family database – LMF chart 1.2.A. Maternal employment rates, 2019 or latest available year [Data set]. (n.d.). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Families and the labour market, UK: 2019. (2019, October 24). Office for National Statistics; Employment characteristics of families summary. (2021, April 21). US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  2. OECD family database – LMF chart 1.2.A. Maternal employment rates, 2019 or latest available year [Data set]. (n.d.). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
  3. OECD family database – LMF chart 2.2.A. Patterns of employment in couples with children, 2019 or nearest available year [Data set]. (2021). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
  4. Statistics on employment characteristics of households. (n.d.) Eurostat.
  5. Labour force status of families. (2021, October 12). Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  6. Labour force status of families. (2021, October 12). Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  7. Labour force status of families. (2021, October 12). Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  8. Families and the labour market, UK: 2019. (2019, October 24). Office for National Statistics.
  9. Families and the labour market, UK: 2019. (2019, October 24). Office for National Statistics.
  10. Beghini, V., Cattaneo, U., & Pozzan, E. (2019). A quantum leap for gender equality: For a better future of work for all. International Labour Organization.
  11. Beghini, V., Cattaneo, U., & Pozzan, E. (2019). A quantum leap for gender equality: For a better future of work for all. International Labour Organization.
  12. Hess, C., Ahmed, T., & Hayes, J. (2020). Providing unpaid household and care work in the United States: Uncovering inequality. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
  13. Madgavkar, A., Manyika, A., Krishnan, M., Ellingrud, K., Yee, L., Woetzel, J., Chui, M., Hunt, V., & Balakrishnan, S. (2019). The future of women at work: Transitions in the age of automation. McKinsey Global Institute.
  14. Addati, L., Cattaneo, U., & Pozzan, E. (2022). Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work. International Labour Organization.
  15. Addati, L., Cattaneo, U., & Pozzan, E. (2022). Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work. International Labour Organization.
  16. Addati, L., Cattaneo, U., & Pozzan, E. (2022). Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work. International Labour Organization.
  17. OECD family database – Chart PF 2.1.C. Paid leave reserved for fathers [Data set]. (n.d.). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; for a list of countries in the OECD see List of OECD member countries – Ratification of the convention of OECD. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
  18. Chzhen, Y., Gromada, A., & Rees, G. (2019). Are the world’s richest countries family friendly? Policy in the OECD and EU. UNICEF.
  19. Colantuoni, F., Diome-Deer, W., Moore, K., Rajbhandri, S., & Tolub, G. (2021, March 5). A fresh look at paternity leave: Why the benefits extend beyond the personal. McKinsey & Company.
  20. Statistics Canada. (2022). Table 11-10-0028-01: Single-earner and dual-earner census families by number of children [Data set]. Annual Income Estimates for Census Families and Individuals.
  21. Bernard, A. (2018, May 15). Results from the 2016 census: Work activities of families with children in Canada. Statistics Canada.
  22. Bernard, A. (2018, May 15). Results from the 2016 census: Work activities of families with children in Canada. Statistics Canada.
  23. EI maternity and parental benefits: What these benefits offer. Government of Canada.
  24. More Canadian employers topping up maternity leave benefits than parental leave benefits: Survey. (2021, October 7). Benefits Canada.
  25. More Canadian employers topping up maternity leave benefits than parental leave benefits: Survey. (2021, October 7). Benefits Canada.
  26. Employment characteristics of families summary. (2021, April 20). US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  27. Employment characteristics of families summary. (2021, April 20). US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  28. Miller, S. (2021, September 12). SHRM benefits survey finds renewed focus on employee wellbeing. SHRM.