The study employs a multi-level dataset, combining the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) with restricted geocode files, the National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP, 2008-2018), and state-level childcare policy data, to examine how variations in childcare contexts influence maternal employment in the U.S. Unlike prior research, which has largely focused on state-level childcare prices, this study accounts for local variations by linking individuals’ locations with county-level childcare prices and state-level childcare policies. Utilizing an event history approach with individual fixed effects, the study identifies changes in individual women’s employment status around the "event" of transitioning to motherhood. Results suggest that local childcare prices and state-level policies have varying impacts on maternal employment, particularly across educational levels. The research provides a nuanced, geographically informed analysis, aiming to pinpoint county-level variations that contribute to inequalities in mothers’ labor supply. The findings intend to inform childcare and family policies with the ultimate objectives of encouraging maternal employment, reducing gender disparities in the labor market, and enhancing the well-being of women from various sociodemographic backgrounds.

Accepted Oral Presentation