This study investigates to what extent parental leave (PL) utilization is influenced by two kinds of social infrastructure. The analysis based on National Employment Insurance database finds that 10%p increase in the availability of local childcare facilities raises the PL take-up by 1%p and its duration by five days and that 1%p rise in the female unemployment rate increases the take-up by 0.2%p and its duration by one day. These results suggest that an increase in the access to childcare service and in the availability of substitute workers promotes utilization of PL.
