Abstract
This dissertation studies aspects of female labor market decision-making which may lead to uncertainty for firms, using cross-state variations in certain types of legislation. In Chapter 1, I exploit variation in divorce laws mandating the division of spousal assets and the assignment of child custody to examine the impacts of the household on female MBA job mobility. I find that women who may receive a reduced share of their husband’s assets post-divorce are significantly more likely to switch jobs. There is no effect of an increased likelihood of sole maternal custody assignment on female MBA job mobility. I frame these findings in the context of an on-the-job search model in which spousal assets and children influence the marginal costs and benefits of job search. In Chapter 2, I examine the impact of legislation mandating workplace breastfeeding amenity provisions on a variety of labor market outcomes. I find that female labor force participation increases by roughly 4% in the years around passing of the legislation, but the effect is not permanent. The increase is mainly driven by white women. I find no effect of the legislation on female wages or work hours. From the firm’s perspective, these two chapters indicate that the presence of children in the home or a mother in the workplace may have more nuanced effects than simply reducing the labor force participation of women.