Health care
I've been reading a few posts (mostly at Half changed world) about the gender issues in employment, and how people decide whether to have one parent or both at home.The surprise to me is how much health care comes into it. The issue of whether a job has health benefits attached or not is HUGE in the US, and figures into many discussions. Makes me realise how important it is to sensible economic decisions about moving into and out of the workforce that such a lumpy cost be detached from your employment. I don't think its just my prejudices showing that suggest it should be a government funding serious safety net.