Utrecht School of Economics

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Work, childcare and womens career progression
in the Netherlands   Janneke Plantenga Utrecht
School of Economics The Netherlands
J.Plantenga_at_econ.uu.nl
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The Netherlands as a best practice ?
Structure of the presentation 1. Working-time
policy (including parental leave) 2. Childcare
policy 3. Assessment of the Dutch case from
an equal opportunities point of view.
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1. Working-time policy Part-time employment is
also a core element of equal opportunities
policy. Part-time rate In 2003 lt 30 of
employed women worked 35 hours or more In 1994 lt
40 of employed women worked 35 hours or more
In 2003 gt 80 of employed men worked 35 hours
or more In 1994 gt 85 of employed men worked 35
hours or more
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The emphasis on flexible, non full-time working
hours for both men and women in order to
reconcile work and family life is backed-up by
additional legislation. Most important in this
respect are - Equal treatment of full and
part-timers WOA - The working hours
(adjustment) act WAA Employers
view combining management posts with part-time
working hours is a problem.
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Parental leave - Six month entitlement of
part-time leave (50), corresponding to a
fulltime leave of 13 weeks. - Leave can be taken
until the child is 8. - Leave is an individual,
non-transferable entitlement. - Leave is unpaid
- yet paid (since 1-1-2006) within the new
life course scheme. - Standard legal provision
can be extended by collective agreement or
works council.
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2. Childcare policy Strong increase in child
care places since the mid of the 1990s Capacity
in 2002 12,5 places per 100 children 0-4
3,3 places per 100 children 4-12 Enrolment
rate 22 for children 0-4 5 for
children 4-12 Substantial informal segment
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Percentage of women making use of that particular facility, 2003. Percentage of women making use of that particular facility, 2003. Percentage of women making use of that particular facility, 2003. Percentage of women making use of that particular facility, 2003.
Total Low, medium High number of hours
Care by the partner for a fixed day per week 48 43 59
Child care facility 92 91 95 19
- formal day care 43 37 56 18
- playgroups 22 24 17 6
- family day care 7 6 8 17
- care by grandparents 47 55 31 13
- care by family, neighbours 22 24 18 11
- exchange of children 2 2 2 -
- paid informal care at home 10 6 19 11
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Acceptability of changes in the organisation of
paid and unpaid work 35 of all respondents
does not agree with the proposition that female
labour supply is acceptable in case of young
children. Almost 40 agree with the statement
that fulltime employment of women interferes with
family life. Strong attachment to private and
informal care.
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3.1 Effects Participation Four strategies to
reconcile work and family life - Quit working -
Adjust working hours - Take up leave -
Outsource care responsibilities
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Table 2. Change in labour pattern of working
parents, after the birth of the first child,
1997-2003, in percentages 1997 2000 2001 2
002 2003 Women Quit working 25 16 16 18 1
0 Working, less hours 44 53 49 52 56 Working,
the same or more hours 32 32 35 30 34 Men
Working, less hours 10 13 13 7 13 Working, the
same or more hours 90 87 87 93 87 Source
Portegijs et al. 2004, 100
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3.2 Effects Economic independence. In 2001
the proportion of women with their own income is
71 41 of women in the age category 15-64 are
economically independent 3 percentage point
below the target figure for that year.
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3.3 Effects Fertility Age at which women get
their first child has risen to 29 in 2002 and is
among the highest of the EU. Caused by
non-supportive socio-economic environment or life
style? Fertility rate 1,73
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3.4 Overall assessment The Netherlands as bast
practice? At the positive side - flexible -
working hours in close correspondence to
preferences - opportunities to private
care. At the negative side - large differences
in participation rate between men and women -
low level of economic independence.