Maternal Child Penalties and Children with Disabilities: Preliminary Findings

This study uses administrative data and an event study methodology to analyze the impact of childbirth and the birth of a child with a disability on labor market outcomes of mothers and fathers. We use a monthly employer-employee panel based on unemployment insurance data. The findings reveal a substantial gender gap associated with childbirth, and childhood disability further widens this gap. Moreover, childhood disability creates an intra-gender gap for mothers after childbirth, where mothers of children with disabilities experience poorer labor outcomes compared to mothers of children without disabilities. These findings underscore the importance of caregiving policies in general and for children with disabilities in particular. It is crucial to consider disability in family assessments and social protection programs designed to address these disparities.