Working from Home and Parental Wellbeing: Evidence from Families with Children with Disability in France

Danilo Bolano , University of Florence
Nicoletta Balbo, Bocconi University
Lidia Panico, CRIS, Sciences Po
Francesco De Luca, Bocconi University

Parents of children with disabilities face substantial challenges balancing paid work and caregiving, often reporting lower wellbeing and more constrained employment opportunities. This study investigates whether working from home (WFH) moderates the “disability penalty” in subjective wellbeing (SWB) among French parents. Using data from the 2024 Familles et Employeurs (FamEmp) survey (N = 5,261), we estimate multivariate OLS models of SWB, measured by the WHO-5 index (0–100), as a function of having a child with a disability, frequency of WFH (never, =1 day/week, =2 days/week), and standard sociodemographic controls. We further examine interaction effects between disability and WFH and stratify analyses by public and private sector to capture workplace culture differences. Results show a pronounced wellbeing penalty for parents of children with disabilities, particularly in the private sector. Working from home is associated with lower wellbeing overall, suggesting that remote work may heighten work–family conflict by extending working hours and blurring home–work boundaries. However, the interaction terms reveal a compensatory effect: for parents of children with disabilities, regular WFH substantially mitigates the wellbeing penalty, especially among private-sector workers. These preliminary findings highlight the dual nature of WFH—as both a potential source of strain and a key coping resource for caregiving parents. Future analyses will explore gender and socioeconomic heterogeneity and assess selection into WFH. The study contributes to understanding how flexible work arrangements intersect with family demands and social inequalities in post-pandemic France.

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 Presented in Session 32. Flash Session Gender, Work and Labour Market