ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the part-time employment pattern of women in Dutch families. This part-time employment pattern is a rather unique occurrence in Europe. Supportive for the part-time employment is the relative wealth: most Dutch men and women can afford to work part-time. Moreover, the Netherlands know an overall low level of labour market participation, combined with a high labour productivity. The share of men in the Netherlands who work part-time, or whose wish it is to work part-time, is also relatively large. Part-time employment in the Netherlands is connected with an emancipation strategy and an overall participation or prevention policy. The evaluation of family policy measures shows that mothers rank changes in working life at second place, after more money to families. The Christian Democratic family policy plan has features of both the Scandinavian model, with its accent on equal rights of men and women, and the more tradition-based German model.
