Studies in ‘Quality’ Part-time Employment

Working It Out: Balancing Work and Care After the Birth of a First Child

“…This ongoing trend has been in response to public and private economic demands and changing social values that view the combination of paid work and motherhood as increasingly acceptable or, at least, necessary (Huerta et al, 2011 ). Yet the decisions regarding the balancing of paid employment and the selection of childcare remain intensely personal and present a major concern in the Australian context (Charlesworth & Chelmers, 2005 ;Craig, 2007 ;Pocock, 2005 ). For many women, investment in a career, contribution to family fi nances, and fi nancial independence are personal incentives to engage in paid work while home responsibilities and the level of apprehension about the use of non-parental care for their child serve to set the boundaries of a woman's decisions about the quantity, timing and fl exibility of employment in which she is able to engage.…”

Job-sharing among teachers: Positive, negative (and unintended) consequences

“…Australian employers provide a range of working arrangements to enable employees to reconcile paid work and family needs, including paid parental leave (Williamson, this issue), part-time work (Charlesworth and Chalmers, 2005; McDonald et al, 2009) and flexible working hours, (Cooper and Baird, in press). As a consequence, reduced hours and flexible working have received increased attention from researchers.…”