Determinants of the Unemployment Gender Gap: A Comparative Investigation

This paper analyzes the unemployment gender gap using a three-state labor market model, which enables determination of the steady-state unemployment rate and the contribution of a single transition probability from each state to the unemployment gender differential. This investigation falls within a comparative framework in that we apply our methodology to the Italian and UK labor markets. The analysis draws on the Italian and the UK Labor Force Surveys for the period 2004–2013. We also estimate the determinants of the unemployment gender gap to pinpoint the relative role of the individual characteristics and structural factors that determine it.