Project description
How flexible parental leave shapes caregiving and employment
Family leave policies are designed around predictable milestones like childbirth, leaving a gap in our understanding of how parents navigate sudden childhood illness and how these crises compound gender and workplace inequalities. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FLEX-CARE project seeks to explore parental leave in dual-earner families. Using microeconometrics techniques and drawing on large sample data from labour force surveys, the project will examine the impacts of divisible leave policies on labour supply and participation as well as on economic incentives behind the choice of which parent leaves work first for this purpose. The findings can help shape fairer and more effective parental leave policies.
Objective
FLEX-CARE investigates how the design of Temporary Parental Leave (TPL) policies—specifically those allowing parents to alternate paid leave days to care for a sick child—affects caregiving dynamics and labor market outcomes in dual-earner households. While most research focuses on leave around childbirth, FLEX-CARE addresses unexpected caregiving needs, offering a novel lens on gender equity and policy design.
The project applies advanced microeconometric methods, including difference-in-differences and event study approaches, to analyze large-scale labor force survey data. It assesses changes in employment rates, working hours, and caregiving behavior following the implementation of a divisible TPL policy. The analysis also considers default caregiving scenarios, where one parent consistently stays home first due to asymmetric opportunity costs, providing insight into how economic incentives shape caregiving allocation decisions.
FLEX-CARE contributes to EU priorities on gender equality, work-life balance, and inclusive labor markets. It will produce causal evidence, comparative insights across countries, and actionable policy recommendations. Outputs include peer-reviewed publications, open-access datasets, policy briefs, and public engagement activities.
The project’s interdisciplinary framework—combining economics, sociology, and public policy—ensures both analytical depth and societal relevance. By translating research into practical guidance for policymakers, FLEX-CARE supports the development of equitable family leave systems and strengthens the EU’s commitment to social rights and sustainable development.
To maximize impact, the project includes targeted dissemination through international workshops, media outreach, and collaboration with NGOs and EU institutions. These efforts will ensure that findings reach academic, policy, and public audiences, fostering evidence-based reforms and informed public discourse on caregiving and labor market equity.
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Keywords
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
08002 Barcelona
Spain
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