Work and family as opposed to work or family: conciliation or choice, the dilemma of young married women

Abstract

The rapid increase of women entering the workforce over the last few decades has been accompanied by an approximation in the models of participation between men and women, although substantial differences still remain amongst young people. A generational change can be detected in the sense that young women are better trained than men of the same age; however they have lesser access to employment, higher risk of unemployment and show a higher propensity for stepping out earlier from the labour market. The analysis by gender and civil status highlights the close interaction between labour markets and marriage, and its effect in the problems of conciliating family life and professional work, owing to: a) differences which occur within married couples, whereas single men and women both have a similar employment position; and b) in comparison with young single men, married men strengthen their presence in the labour market and gain in employment stability. By contrast young married women tend to disinvest in the labour market in favour of the family, thereby burdening their future employment prospects from the start of their professional life.