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Income and Equally Shared Parental Leave in Sweden

Liungman, Carolina Kathrin Cecilia LU (2025) EOSK12 20251
Department of Economic History
Abstract
This thesis investigates how income influences the way parents in Sweden share paid
parental leave. Although the Swedish parental leave system is universal in design, its use
varies across income groups and regions. By analyzing national data grouped by income
level and regional data from all 21 counties between 2005 and 2019, the study examines
how financial position and local context relate to the likelihood of parents dividing leave
equally. The results reveal a consistent pattern: couples with higher incomes are more likely
to share leave equally than those with lower or middle incomes. Regions with higher median
income also tend to have higher rates of equal sharing. These findings suggest that financial
resources continue to... (More)
This thesis investigates how income influences the way parents in Sweden share paid
parental leave. Although the Swedish parental leave system is universal in design, its use
varies across income groups and regions. By analyzing national data grouped by income
level and regional data from all 21 counties between 2005 and 2019, the study examines
how financial position and local context relate to the likelihood of parents dividing leave
equally. The results reveal a consistent pattern: couples with higher incomes are more likely
to share leave equally than those with lower or middle incomes. Regions with higher median
income also tend to have higher rates of equal sharing. These findings suggest that financial
resources continue to influence parental leave behavior, even within a generous and
inclusive welfare system. At the same time, income alone may not explain these differences.
Local norms, job security, and differences in how the policy is understood or supported may
also shape how leave is used. This thesis highlights how structural factors and everyday
conditions affect families’ ability to act on their entitlements, showing that equal policy
rights do not always translate into equal outcomes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Liungman, Carolina Kathrin Cecilia LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
An Analysis of Parental Leave Equality Across Income Groups and Regions, 2005–2019
course
EOSK12 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Sweden, parental leave, gender equality, income inequality, regional variation, family policy, social policy, welfare universalism, income groups, fixed effects regression
language
English
id
9204501
date added to LUP
2025-08-18 10:48:57
date last changed
2025-08-18 10:48:57
@misc{9204501,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates how income influences the way parents in Sweden share paid
parental leave. Although the Swedish parental leave system is universal in design, its use
varies across income groups and regions. By analyzing national data grouped by income
level and regional data from all 21 counties between 2005 and 2019, the study examines
how financial position and local context relate to the likelihood of parents dividing leave
equally. The results reveal a consistent pattern: couples with higher incomes are more likely
to share leave equally than those with lower or middle incomes. Regions with higher median
income also tend to have higher rates of equal sharing. These findings suggest that financial
resources continue to influence parental leave behavior, even within a generous and
inclusive welfare system. At the same time, income alone may not explain these differences.
Local norms, job security, and differences in how the policy is understood or supported may
also shape how leave is used. This thesis highlights how structural factors and everyday
conditions affect families’ ability to act on their entitlements, showing that equal policy
rights do not always translate into equal outcomes.}},
  author       = {{Liungman, Carolina Kathrin Cecilia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Income and Equally Shared Parental Leave in Sweden}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}