Quote:This is, admittedly, not a terribly sexy topic. But a growing body of research suggests that whether a mom can hang on to her job comes down to how long it takes her to get there. Notably, the crucial role that travel time plays in shaping maternal employment has been identified not only in the United States but also in countries with far more robust family policies and social safety nets. Commutes also affect women up and down the socioeconomic scale (though in different ways).

The negative influence of the commute is so pronounced that it’s hard to imagine making the economy work for moms without acknowledging its impact. And the solution to the commute penalty may be as daunting as it is simple: To help moms work outside the home, society needs to make it easier for them to work near home.