Unpaid Work Worth 6 Trillion Not in U.S. GDP

The recent report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office discusses the value of unpaid household work, which includes tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and childcare. This work amounts to approximately $6 trillion annually, or about one-fifth of the gross domestic product (GDP). Although it is not included in official economic calculations, experts emphasize that this labor is essential for daily life and has a significant impact on the economy and growth. If households were to stop performing these tasks, costs would rise, and these services would need to be purchased from the formal market. The report shows that over 87% of Americans aged 15 and older engage in such work, averaging 3.72 hours per day. The majority of those performing these tasks are women, who bear 54% of the burden, often experiencing noticeable stress and exhaustion. Experts underscore the importance of reevaluating the concept of economic efficiency to account for unpaid work, which provides a more accurate picture of household welfare and the effects of changes in the labor market on the gender distribution of this work.

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