Pf. Orazem et M. Vodopivec, Male-female differences in labor market outcomes during the early transition to market: The cases of Estonia and Slovenia, J POP ECON, 13(2), 2000, pp. 283-303
Changes in women's relative wages and employment are analyzed, using social
security data from Slovenia (1987-1992) and a retrospective labor force su
rvey in Estonia (1989-1994). Estonia adopted liberal labor market policies.
Slovenia took an interventionist approach. Nevertheless, relative wages fo
r women rose in both countries. Factors favoring women included: returns to
human capital rose in transition, benefiting women; relative labor demand
shifted toward predominantly female sectors; low-wage women had a dispropor
tionate incentive to exit the labor market, especially in Estonia. However,
women were less mobile across jobs in both countries, so men disproportion
ately filled new jobs in expanding sectors. JEL classification: J21, J31.