The relationship between women's domestic labor and employment in the context of hidden labor: A qualitative study

Hidden labor, which refers to the unpaid work performed by women within the household, includes housework such as cleaning and care work performed for family members or relatives who cannot care for themselves. Housework and care work, which women mostly perform, are defined as areas of expertise for women by nature. Although there is no specific compensation for domestic labor, some figures have been presented by studies that attempt to measure its value, but they are not definitive. The large amount of time spent on housework and care restricts the time available for other activities, including paid employment, especially for women working in paid employment. This research is based on discovering the impact of women's invisible domestic labor on employment. Based on the answers given to the questions by 20 women, all of whom are married, 10 of whom are employed, and 10 of whom are housewives, a phenomenological design belonging to qualitative research was used to understand their experiences and reach the core. A semi-structured interview was used as the data collection tool. Thematic analysis was preferred for the analysis of the findings, and the coding and graphics were made using the "Maxqda" statistical program. According to the findings of the research, it was determined that women perceive housework and care as the primary duties of women, spending 7-10 hours a day. For this reason, they do not work or prefer part-time jobs even if they do. In the first part of the thesis, the conceptual framework of the invisible labor issue will be drawn, and the invisible domestic labor of women and the change in working life in Türkiye after the First Turkish States in 2000 will be discussed. In the second part, the factors affecting women's entry into the labor market, women's employment rates, and the ways they are employed will be discussed, and in the last part, the findings on "The Relationship Between Women's Domestic Labor and Employment in the Context of Invisible Labor" will be included.