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I am enthusiastic about the potential that academic research has to shape institutional decisions for the better.
I am affiliated with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, an influential UK economics think-tank. My main policy focus is reforming UK parental leave to enable greater gender equality in the workplace and in the family.
I also have several years of experience working as an economic consultant, mostly in the field of competition. Before starting my PhD, I worked as a full-time consultant with Oxera Consulting. I continue working with them as an Independent Economic Advisor. I focus on harnessing game theory to advise on antitrust court cases. I am particularly interested in class actions and competition in labour markets.
Reforming parental leave in the UK
Why should we prioritise reforming parental leave?
The gender pay gap is mostly driven by women reducing time at work to care for children. Many young couples want to share work and childcare more equally but find it financially difficult with the current government policy. Reform can support more gender equal parenting, enabling more active fatherhood and empowering women at work.
Additionally, birth rates are at a historic low. Urgent action is needed to enable young people to see having children as part of their lives. Partly, this is about affordability, but to a great extent it is about vision. The traditional idea of the man working and the woman staying at home with the children does not suit many young couples. Generous parental leave is about fostering a culture where career and family co-exist in a manner that is not strained.
How to reform UK parental leave?
Introduce a single entitlement to one year of leave per family. This would be shared as preferred by the parents, with an equal split as the default. Additionally, introduce two months of take-it-or-leave-it parental leave for each parent, to be used shortly before or after the birth.
All leave should be paid at usual salary, partly funded by the government, and partly by the employer (with larger employers contributing more).
While government policy remains unchanged, employers have the power to take the first steps in improving parental leave by providing more gender-equal enhanced occupational pay.
Get involved
The UK government is currently undertaking a review of the UK parental leave system. Please make your views heard: complete the government's call for evidence survey here.
I have been talking with think-tanks, charities, and employers about parental leave reform. If you are interested in this area feel free to contact me.
I have also worked with employers to improve their parental leave policies, with a focus on promoting gender equality. If you are an employer wanting to improve your parental leave policies, please feel free to reach out.
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