Clean homes - pure work? - job growth in private service sector

Research project In Sweden a tax credit for domestic services was introduced in 2007. In this research project the aim is to study the jobs that have been created though the tax credits on domestic service reform in Sweden.

In many European countries, amongst them Sweden, different types of political reforms intending to encourage a growth in the domestic service sector have been introduced. The social problems these reform aims to solve differ, but mainly the reforms are intended to stimulate a growth of a “new” legal labour market sector within private homes. In Sweden a tax credit for domestic services was introduced in 2007. The aim of this research project is to study the jobs created trough the tax reform to understand their job growth potential for groups with week labour market connections such as low skilled, long time unemployed and immigrants.

Head of project

Elin Kvist Associate professor

+46 90 786 52 95

Project overview

Project period:

2011-04-01 – 2013-04-01

Funding

Finansår , 2011, 2012, 2013

huvudman: Elin Kvist, finansiar: FAS, y2011: 800, y2012: 600, y2013: 600,

Participating departments and units at Umeå University

Faculty of Social Sciences, Umeå Centre for Gender Studies

Research subject

Gender studies, Sociology

Project description

In this research project the aim is to study the jobs that have been created though the tax credits on domestic service reform in Sweden. In many European countries, different types of political reforms intending to encourage a growth in the domestic service sector have been introduced. The social problems these reform aims to solve differ, but mainly the reforms are intended to stimulate a growth of a “new” legal labour market sector within private homes.

The jobs created through the tax reforms are often presumed to be especially suitable for unemployed and others with a weak connection to the labour market such as those who are low skilled, immigrants, youths and women. In Sweden a tax credit for domestic services was introduced in 2007.

The aim of this research project is to study the jobs created trough the tax reform to understand their job growth potential for groups with week labour market connections such as low skilled, long time unemployed and immigrants. The research questions are:
-Could domestic service jobs be seen as a stepping stone into the labour market for those with week labour market position or are the domestic service workers mostly recruited from established groups on the labour market?
- how do employers and employees view the future of the domestic service sector; both personally and as a sector?
- is there possible to see any movements from informal domestic work to formal domestic work as a consequence of the 2007 domestic service tax act.

In this research project a wide methodological approach will be applied. Initially a survey among domestic service entrepreneurs will be conducted. After that semi structured interviews will be performed among entrepreneurs and employees within the domestic service sector, and finally some focus groups interviews be conducted with domestic service workers.