Long hours hurt women

Women in dual-breadwinner householders are affected more by their husbands working longer hours than husbands are affected by their wives burning the midnight oil. A new study found that working women whose husbands put in more than 60 hours a week were 44 percent more likely to quit their own jobs. Professional women were 52 percent more likely to quit. The percentage of husbands in dual-breadwinner households who quit their jobs wasn't affected by wives' working more than 60 hours a week. Researcher Youngjoo Cha says the study shows gender inequality in the workplace and a potential return of the "separate spheres" arrangement, where women are the homemakers and men are the breadwinners.

The study also found that, among professional workers, husbands in dual-earner households were more than twice as likely to work more than 50 hours a week than wives. That may indicate that professional women expect less spousal support than men for their jobs.