{"id":7343,"date":"2026-02-05T21:02:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T00:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/investiga.uandes.cl\/?p=7343"},"modified":"2026-03-13T16:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T19:48:09","slug":"research-analyzes-how-incentives-for-womens-employment-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/investiga.uandes.cl\/en\/research-analyzes-how-incentives-for-womens-employment-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Analyzes How Incentives for Female Employment Work and Why They Fail"},"content":{"rendered":"

These are some of the questions raised by researcher Jorge Rodr\u00edguez<\/a> at the School of Economics and Business Administration<\/a><\/strong> in the first results of his most recent research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study focuses on the Bono al Trabajo de la Mujer (BTM) (Women's Work Bonus)<\/a>, a program in force in Chile since 2012 that supplements the salaries of working women between the ages of 25 and 59 belonging to lower-income households, according to their score on the Social Household Registry<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project was recently awarded Fondecyt Regular 2025 <\/a><\/strong>funding and has received support from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research<\/a>, through the Early Career Research Award<\/a><\/strong>, a fund aimed at promoting research with a high potential impact on labor policies. The study was also selected by the Ministry of Social Development to participate in the Social Information Registry (RIS)<\/a><\/strong><\/strong>, Chile's most complete repository of social data, which has enabled access to Social Household Registry data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"The research examines how employment subsidies affect female labor participation and what mechanisms explain these effects. In particular, I analyze the Bono al Trabajo de la Mujer, a program that seeks to support working women and, at the same time, encourage their entry into the labor market,\" Rodr\u00edguez explains. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In a first stage, the study evaluates evaluates the impact of BTM eligibility on the probability of employment<\/strong>, comparing women located just above and just below the eligibility threshold, wich corresponds to the most vulnerable 40% of the population. The results show that eligibility for the benefit produces no significant effects on either employment or labor income.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on these results, the research advances to a second stage aimed at understanding why the subsidy does not produce the expected effects.<\/strong> \"We consider two main mechanisms: the insufficiency of the subsidy amount to modify labor supply and the existence of information gaps about the program,\" says Rodr\u00edguez.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Jorge Rodr\u00edguez, academic and researcher.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To further explore these hypotheses, the team is conducting a national survey examining the level of awareness of the BTM, application attempts, and reasons for not accessing the benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rodr\u00edguez's interest in this topic stems from the convergence of two significant labor market challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"On the one hand, I am interested in studying social policies that combine economic support with work incentives<\/strong>. The Bono al Trabajo de la Mujer is a good example of this, as it seeks to promote economic autonomy and labor market integration, as opposed to more welfare-oriented programs,\" he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, Rodr\u00edguez highlights the persistence of the gender gap in employment and labor force participation<\/strong>. \"While these structural and cultural factors are slow to change, an employment subsidy can be an effective short-term tool to reduce this gap, even if it is not a definitive solution,\" he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding the impact of the results of his research, the academic hopes the results will contribute to public debate and the design of better public policies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"I hope that this research will help us better understand why this type of policy may or may not be effective. In the case of Chile, I am confident that our findings will provide useful evidence for the discussion on the new bill establishing the Unified Employment Subsidy,\"<\/strong>he notes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n