Working Two Jobs: Why Women Are Still Bearing The Brunt Of Unpaid Work

It’s considered the “most wonderful time of the year”, but for many women, the Christmas period is the biggest harbinger of stress and tears. From gift buying, to house cleaning, to managing delicate family relations, to preparing the Christmas meal, women bear the brunt of the unpaid workload during the holiday season.

But it’s not just Christmas causing women to bear the majority of domestic chores. Unpaid women’s work is a year-round issue. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average Australian woman spends up to 14 hours a week on domestic work, compared to less than five hours a week for men. This leaves Australian women accounting for almost three quarters of all unpaid work. If we assume the average hourly wage is $30, this is the equivalent of women missing out on up to $425 a week for the time they’re spending grocery shopping and cleaning the house.