Does the Use of Work-Family Policies Influence Time Spent in Domestic Labor?

Sarah Beth Estes, University of Cincinnati
Mary C. Noonan, University of Iowa
Jennifer Glass, University of Iowa

Much contemporary research outlines the work/family time burden experienced by dual-earning parents. Yet little research focuses on the family unit, rather than individual employees, to ask how couples together use work-family policies to cope with their paid and unpaid work. In this paper, we ask whether the use of various work-family policies alters time spent in housework and childcare for mothers and fathers. Results from a Midwestern longitudinal sample of couples show that although mothers are more likely than fathers to use work-family policies, policy use by both mothers and fathers is mostly unrelated to time spent in housework and childcare. We do find, however, that mothers who work some of their weekly work hours at home spend more time in childcare than mothers who do not. Also, husbands whose wives work part-time spend less time in housework than husbands of wives who work full-time.