The Commute Penalty

"For all of the professional gains women have made over the past several decades, one stubborn measure of inequality-the gender wage gap-has been especially difficult to stamp out. And it's a disparity that can be traced in large part to parenthood. In nearly every country on Earth, the arrival of children tends to coincide with a lasting drop in employment and earnings for moms but not dads."

"This is, admittedly, not a terribly sexy topic. But a growing body of research suggests that whether a mom can hang on to her job comes down to how long it takes her to get there. Notably, the crucial role that travel time plays in shaping maternal employment has been identified not only in the United States but also in countries with far more robust family policies and social safety nets. Commutes also affect women up and down the socioeconomic scale (though in different ways)."

Long commutes impose a pronounced penalty on maternal employment and earnings, contributing substantially to the persistent gender wage gap. Childbirth typically coincides with a lasting drop in mothers' labor-market attachment across nearly every country, while fathers' careers remain largely unaffected. Travel time affects mothers in countries with generous family policies as well as in the United States, and influences women across socioeconomic levels through different mechanisms. Historical patterns of female work favored jobs near home and compatible with childcare; modern commutes have reintroduced mobility constraints that shape women's occupational choices and employment continuity. Making jobs accessible near home would help mothers remain employed.

Read at The Atlantic