Unpaid work – Analyses, reportsBasic statistical data for the measurement of domestic compensation

An article which appeared in the publication of contributions to the conference on damages to persons (Personen-Schaden-Forum), held at the beginning of 2007, evaluates the first lessons learnt from the series of tables with comments produced by the Federal Statistical Office. This article deals with the most frequently asked questions and offers initial answers. Other central aspects such as possible simplifications in the utilisation of tables and changes in the area of domestic work and childcare in the long term were also mentioned at the forum (in German only).

For some time, different service providers (insurance, lawyers, courts and other specialised services) have made increasing use of reference data from the Federal Statistical Office in order to measure domestic compensation. Apart from data on wages used for the monetary evaluation of this work, what is particularly needed is data on the time spent on domestic work and childcare. The FSO has created a series of standardised tables on the time spent on these tasks and on the different ways of calculating their monetary value; destined for a wide audience, these tables will be regularly updated. The FSO presented the findings from these tables during this half-day workshop and explained some of the preparatory work on which they are based. Specialists commented upon this basic data in relation to the different contexts in which they can be used.