Labour Market Outcomes of Spatially Mobile Coupled Women: Why is the locational context important?

Abstract

Previous research on the labour market outcomes of spatially mobile couples has shown that mobility has serious detrimental effects on the employment situation of women. This has been largely attributed to their prevalence as secondary earners playing a minor role in job-related mobility decisions of the household. Yet the impact of regional opportunity structures in determining labour market outcomes of mobile coupled females has been neglected, although recent studies suggest the significance of this aspect. Using the SOEP 1992-2006 the following analysis investigates the consequences of mobility for women taking into account the economic structure of the destination region.