{"id":1401,"date":"2017-03-31T08:00:24","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T13:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/?p=1401"},"modified":"2017-03-27T14:04:23","modified_gmt":"2017-03-27T19:04:23","slug":"gendering-vacation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/2017\/03\/31\/gendering-vacation\/","title":{"rendered":"Gendering Vacation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Mike Beltzner, Flickr CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Spring is here, and for many that means it\u2019s time for a spring break! However, taking time off work can be a big deal, and taking a break can affect earnings and productivity. Research shows that\u00a0vacation and leave time are largely shaped by a countries social and political context, but\u00a0taking time off work can have serious consequences no matter where you live, especially for women.<\/span><\/p>\n

To start, vacations take place in the context of larger structures of gender inequality and work\/family policies. Mothers\u2019 time in and out of work is shaped by institutional and cultural contexts, including paid-leave policies, state support for childcare, and cultural expectations around maternal employment. When women are supported by well-paid leave, affordable\u00a0childcare, and a cultural expectation that mothers work, women with children ultimately work more weekly hours than those living in countries without these factors. Even so, time off is not without penalty. Country-specific policies also help predict the penalty women face for taking a break from employment to care for children. For instance, in a comparison between Germany, Sweden, and the U.S. — countries with distinct leave policies — researchers found that long leaves meant career penalties for all women. Unsurprisingly, in the U.S., a country known for lagging behind in parental leave, even short periods of time spent away from work can\u00a0hurt womens’ careers. <\/span><\/h5>\n