#ZEWPodcast
The #ZEWPodcast “Wirklich Wirtschaft” offers direct insights into ZEW's research – understandable, up-to-date, and close to the scientists. The podcast is available in two formats: “ZEW Wirklich Wirtschaft Kompakt”, the short and concise news and explanation format, and “ZEW Wirklich Wirtschaft Background” which explores topics in greater depth and context. In the future, there will also be episodes in English.
From 2020 to 2025, the podcast ran under the title “Wirtschaft · Forschung · Debatten” (in German language only). At the end of 2025, it was relaunched and has since been renamed “ZEW Wirklich Wirtschaft”.
You can find the podcast on all popular platforms, including Podigee, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Do you have any comments, ideas, or feedback about the podcast? Feel free to write to us at podcast@zew.de.
Click on the magnifying glass to select different years and get even more impressions of ZEW research in our podasts of the last years!
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#ZEWPodcast 30.000 Euro Earnings Losses For Mothers
For many mothers, having children leads to a significant drop in income. In the latest episode of the ZEW podcast “Wirklich Wirtschaft,” Dr Lukas Riedel from ZEW's “Inequality and Distribution Policy” research group explains why new estimates conclude that the loss is even greater than previously thought. His study shows that in the fourth year after the first birth, the average income loss for mothers is around 30,000 euros—about one-third higher than under the previously standard estimation method. Riedel also explains how losses due to career breaks and part-time work are exacerbated by lost income growth—and what role childcare and reliable infrastructure play in ensuring that having a child does not necessarily mean a significant loss of income.