Unequal Burdens, Unequal Pay: Household Chores and Wages in Brazil

The time spent on household chores is a factor that can affect salaries. Women are the main responsible for this activity and they are also the ones who face the greatest problems in the job market due to time constraints. This article analyzes how the time spent on household chores by the individual and the partner influences wages in the labor market. Being the first analysis carried out in this sense for Brazil, the results suggest that women’s housework significantly reduces their wages, while men’s contributions to chores have a smaller effect on their own wages. Despite women’s greater domestic workload, men’s increased free time does not translate into higher wages. On the other hand, men’s household chores positively impact women’s wages. These patterns suggest that encouraging men’s involvement in chores could help reduce the gender wage gap. JEL Code: J22, J16, J31, D13, C26