China - Beijing; Court orders man to pay wife for housework; Landmark case; 24 Feb 2021

[imstilla.grandma]

A Chinese court has ordered a man to pay his former wife 50,000 yuan ($7,700) as compensation for housework she did during their five-year marriage, state media reported on Wednesday.

Under a landmark civil code that seeks to better protect the rights of individuals, spouses can seek compensation from their partners in a divorce if they have shouldered more responsibilities - including housework.

The woman, who did not work outside the home during the marriage, sought compensation for housework she had done after her husband filed for divorce at a district court in Beijing last year.

The judge ruled in her favour, telling the man to pay 50,000 yuan for her labour, according to state television.

He must also pay 2,000 yuan a month to support their child, with other assets such as property to be divided equally.

The award of compensation for housework sparked debate on Chinese social media, with many netizens saying the amount was too little.

“A nanny’s annual income is already in the tens of thousands of yuan,” said a social media user. “This is too little.”

($1 = 6.4472 Chinese yuan renminbi)
Chinese court orders man to pay ex-wife $7,700 for five years of housework

 

[imstilla.grandma]

* Oct 10, 2021:
The decision by the Beijing court followed new rules put in place this year that allow people in divorce cases to seek compensation for time spent performing chores and raising children.

The couple married in 2015. The divorce was initiated last year by the husband, who was identified only by a surname, Chen, according to news reports. The wife, whose last name is Wang, had been taking care of the couple’s son after she and her husband started living apart in 2018.

“It acknowledges her housework to a certain degree and its economic value,” said Joy Lin, a Chinese activist who promotes gender equality. “But the compensation is not on par with what she should get and how she should be valued.”

Husband Must Pay Wife $7,700 for Years of Housework, Chinese Court Rules (Published 2021)

Some in China hailed the divorce court case as a breakthrough, but many noted that full-time nannies are paid far more.

www.nytimes.com