The price of reconciliation: Part-time work, families and women's satisfaction

While the gender pay gap has been narrowing for women in full‐time jobs the pay penalty for the 40% of women who work part‐time has risen, reflecting the growing polarisation of part‐time jobs in low‐wage occupations. A further dimension is that women often experience downgrading from higher‐skill full‐time into lower‐skill part‐time occupations. As women reorganise their working lives around the presence of children their reported hours and job satisfaction are highest in part‐time work, but life‐satisfaction is scarcely affected by hours of work. This Feature explores these issues and their challenge for economic efficiency as well as gender equity.