Shift Work among American Women and Child Care

Utilizing data from the 1982 U.S. Current Population Survey, this study reveals a high prevalence of shift work among mothers aged 18 to 44 with a preschool-aged child: about one out of six such mothers who are employedfull-time, and about one out offive of those employed part-time, work other than at regular daytime hours. Marital status is found to be a determinant of shift-work status for full-timers, its prevalence being almost twice as high among the unmarried than married. The relationship between shift-work status and child-care use is examined, showing primary reliance on father care when married mothers are employed non-days. The determinants of such care for this subgroup vary by whether mothers are employed full-time or part-time. While the majority of part-time employed mothers rely on father care for the youngest child, these mothers are also the most likely to indicate that they are constrained from working more hours because of the unavailability of child care.