JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. Canadian Journal of Sociology is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers canadiens de sociologie. Abstract. This paper hypothesizes that marital status and parental status are important in accounting for variations in work interruptions. The Labour Market Activity Survey 1988-1990 allows for a measurement of work interruption over a three-year period, along with controls for various other demographic, socio-cultural, and socio-economic factors. Logistic regression results indicate that both marital status and parental status are important factors in explaining the gender differences in work interruptions. Marriage and the presence of young children tend to reduce the probability of work interruptions for men. Conversely, for women, the presence of children increases the likelihood of interruptions, especially for those who are not married. Resume. Nous cherchons a d6terminer si l'6tat matrimonial et la presence d'enfants sont important pour expliquer les variations dans les interruptions de travail. L'Enquete sur le March6 du Travail de 1988-1990 permet une mesure les interruptions de travail sur une periode de trois ans, ainsi que des ajustements pour divers facteurs d'ordre demographique, socio-economique et socio-culturel. L'analyse par r6gression logistique indique que l'6tat matrimonial et la presence de jeunes enfants sont tout les deux importants pour expliquer les differences de sexe dans les interruptions de travail. En particulier, ces facteurs operent diff6remment pour les hommes et les femmes. Le mariage et le fait d'avoir des jeunes enfants tendent a reduire les interruptions de travail pour les hommes. Chez les femmes, la pr6sence d'enfants augmente la probabilite d'interruption, surtout si elles ne sont pas marines. 1. This is a revised version of a paper initially presented at the meetings of the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association, Montreal, June 1995. The authors wish to acknowledge comments and suggestions from Carl Grindstaff, Carol Agocs, Edward Grabb, James Rinehart, two anonymous reviewers, and the Journal Editor. Canadian Journal of Sociology/Cahiers canadiens de sociologie 21(1) 1996 25 This content downloaded from 194.29.185.112 on Tue, 10 Jun 2014 20:22:15 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Much attention is paid to unemployment as a frustration in the employment goals of governments and individuals. However, less attention is paid to other forms of discontinuity in employment, including not being in the labour force and working part-time (less than 30 hours per week). For instance, at ages 30-54 in the 1991 census, 77.4 percent of men and 48.0 percent of w...