PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Fontenay, Sébastien TI - How Can Paid Maternity Leave Boost Female Entrepreneurship? AID - 10.3368/jhr.0123-12727R2 DP - 2024 Jan 08 TA - Journal of Human Resources PG - 0123-12727R2 4099 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2024/01/02/jhr.0123-12727R2.short 4100 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2024/01/02/jhr.0123-12727R2.full AB - This paper reveals that providing mothers with a higher maternity leave allowance raises their probability of becoming self-employed after childbirth. Using administrative data from Belgium between 2002-2015 and a Regression Kink Design, I estimate that a 900-euro increase in allowance raises the probability of becoming self-employed by six percentage points. Regarding self-employed mothers’ incentives, I find evidence that the allowance might lift financial constraints for those residing in provinces with poor access to banks. I also reveal a positive effect on higher-order births and argue that self-employed mothers might seek flexible work arrangements when they worked in less family-friendly sectors.