Parental Leave Intentions, Gender, and Job Discrimination: Insights From a Swedish Field Experiment

Abstract

This paper reports on a field experiment investigating hiring discrimination in the Swedish labor market against job candidates signaling intentions to take part-time parental leave. Swedish law prohibits labor market discrimination related to parental leave. We conducted a correspondence test, sending job applications to 960 employers in one male-dominated and one female-dominated low-skilled occupation. Applicants who indicated plans for parental leave were significantly less likely to receive job interview invitations, with their chances cut by half compared to those who did not mention such plans. This bias emerged across genders and occupations, revealing a systemic issue in the labor market.