육아휴직 급여 인상이 남성 육아휴직 사용에 미치는 영향 - 2017년 9월 개정을 중심으로 -

This study examined the impact of increased parental leave benefits on the utilization of parental leave by married male regular employees in South Korea. The research analyzed the effects across different groups, categorized by income level, overtime work status, and company size. Data were drawn from the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS), specifically waves 14-24, covering the years 2011 to 2021. The analysis revealed that the increase in parental leave benefits positively influenced both the rate of parental leave uptake and the duration of leave taken by male workers. Furthermore, the study confirmed that the impact of the increased benefits varied across different groups. This study offers several key theoretical implications. Firstly, it provides insights into the effects of increased parental leave benefits following the introduction of an income-proportional system for parental leave. Secondly, by analyzing the impact across different groups, the study highlights that the increase in parental leave utilization resulting from higher benefits is not uniform but concentrated within certain segments of the workforce. In terms of policy implications, this study suggests that future revisions to parental leave policies should move beyond simply increasing benefits. Instead, there should be a broader focus on creating a workplace environment that enables all employees to freely utilize parental leave.