Why Outsource Domestic Tasks? Analysis of the Unequal Logic Behind Demand in France

For twenty years, the number of domestic jobs has been considered to be increasing in many countries. Several studies have highlighted the bad quality of these jobs, characterised by a high level of inequality between employers and employees. Other studies have looked at the other side of the market, focusing on the demand factors supporting the choice of outsourcing domestic tasks. These documents have made evident the importance of gender, race and class inequalities. Through the study of French data, this article aims to present three different ways to understand these inequalities: the first is based on a principle of specialization, while the second gives the spotlight to negotiation within the household. The third approach is based on the willingness to delegate menial tasks. Each of these motivations involves specific inequalities which are obstacles to the improvement of domestic job quality.