IBJ: When Moms Out-Earn their Husbands, they Gain More Housework, Study Says

Check out this May 2, 2022 article from the Washington Post published in the IBJ. Discussing findings from an analysis published in the journal Work, Employment and Society, the author highlights: "Women with children reduced housework from 18 to 14 hours a week as they went from earning zero to half of the household income. But after passing her husband’s salary, a woman’s home tasks increased to nearly 16 hours a week, the analysis found. In contrast, a man’s housework ranged from six to eight hours a week when he was the primary breadwinner but then declined as his wife out-earned him." The author of the analysis, Joanna Sydra, a professor at the U.K.-based University of Bath School of Management, "posited that women out-earning men bucks traditional gender stereotypes, so women do more housework to compensate and men do less."

One commenter emphasized: "there is literally no reason why men cannot engage in household chores equally to women, especially when children arrive. It just takes more assertive engagement from men to take the lead on certain tasks." Another commenter "acknowledged that despite her husband being a willing partner, it also takes constant communication—from both sides."

This article was submitted by Lucy Dollens, Quarles & Brady LLP. If you would like to submit content or write an article for the Women and the Law Division, please email Kara Sikorski at ksikorski@indybar.org.

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