Premium
Enough Time for Housework? Low‐Wage Work and Desired Housework Time Adjustments
Author(s) -
Stanczyk Alexandra B.,
Henly Julia R.,
Lambert Susan J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/jomf.12344
Subject(s) - time use survey , work (physics) , work schedule , part time employment , time allocation , working hours , labour economics , low wage , work hours , unpaid work , paid work , wage , demographic economics , sample (material) , schedule , economics , hourly wage , working time , survey data collection , full time , mechanical engineering , chemistry , statistics , mathematics , management , chromatography , engineering , economic growth
Although studies examine preferences for hours spent in paid employment, little attention has been given to preferences for hours spent in unpaid household labor. This study examines the extent to which women working in low‐paid retail jobs would prefer to spend more or less time on household work and how alignment between preferred and actual time on housework is related to characteristics of paid work. Using original survey data and company records on a sample of women working at a U.S. retail firm ( N = 277), the authors found that mismatch between preferred and actual time on household work was common. Roughly 42% wanted more time on household work and 18% wanted less. Working multiple jobs, work schedule unpredictability, and nonstandard work timing contributed to wanting more time on housework. Findings add to understanding of how low‐wage, precarious employment shapes workers' ability to attend to necessary tasks of household management.