Impacts of Sandwich Caregiving on Labor Market Outcomes

TL;DR

This study explores how juggling childcare and adult care affects people's work, showing that sandwich caregivers, especially women, work less and face challenges in the labor market.

Contribution

The study introduces new insights into how sandwich caregiving uniquely impacts labor market outcomes across gender and demographic groups.

Findings

Sandwich caregivers are 5.7% less likely to participate in the labor force compared to non-caregivers.

Employed sandwich caregivers work 5 hours less per week than non-caregivers, with larger effects on women.

Black workers and more educated individuals tend to take on caregiving roles at different life stages.

Abstract

This study examines the dynamics of caregiving and its impact on labor market outcomes, with a focus on the often-overlooked segment of sandwich caregivers defined as individuals engaged in both childcare and adult care. Utilizing data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) spanning the years 2012 to 2022, our findings reveal significant trends: women of all ages are more likely than men to be sandwich caregivers, individuals with higher educational attainment tend to assume sandwich caregiving roles later in life, and black workers are more inclined to provide sandwich care at an earlier age. Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment (IPWRA) is used to estimate unbiased treatment effects while propensity score matching is utilized to model interactions between sandwich caregiving and gender. Results indicate that sandwich caregivers are 5.7 percent less likely to participate in the labor force and, for those employed, work 5 hours less per week compared to non-caregiving workers, with more pronounced effects on women. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the impacts of sandwich caregiving responsibilities on extensive and intensive margins, highlighting the need for policies that address the unique challenges faced by sandwich caregivers.