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Division of Domestic Work: Is There Adjustment Between Partners when One is Unemployed?

Evidence from French Couples

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Abstract

Coming back to the main models of division of work within the couple, the aim of this article is to analyze the possible transfers of domestic chores between partners facing an external shock. We test it by studying the allocation of domestic time on couples facing unemployment on the French time-use survey. Are domestic chores transferable between partners? Controlled for many covariates, bivariate tobit regressions on indicators of time, variety and number of activities show that domestic tasks performed by unemployed people, either men or women, increase. Despite the inertia due to couple’s specialization, the hypothesis of versatility is partially checked. “Dominantly Feminine tasks” are the more transferable tasks. Unemployment involves a new division of labor between spouses.

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  1. INED, 133 Bld Davout, 75 980, Paris cedex 20, France

    Anne Solaz

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  1. Anne Solaz
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Correspondence to Anne Solaz.

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I am gratefull for comments by two anonymous referees.

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Solaz, A. Division of Domestic Work: Is There Adjustment Between Partners when One is Unemployed?. Rev Econ Household 3, 387–413 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-005-4941-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-005-4941-1

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