Originally Posted by NBC 5

Invoiced Divorce: Wife Wants Back Pay For Housework

UPDATED: 2:37 pm CDT July 26, 2005
ALBANY, Ind. -- An Indiana woman is trying to get a paycheck for hours of work she did as a wife.

She's divorcing her husband and said she's sending him a bill for almost $500,000 for housework she says she did and kept track of over the years.

Kathy Thompson appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" three years ago when she went on strike in an effort to get her husband to help out more around the house.

After five years of marriage to Gary Thompson, Kathy said she's trying to be reasonable. She's filing for divorce, but isn't asking for a normal alimony payment.

Kathy has drawn up an itemized bill with what she believes Gary owes her after their time together.

The itemized bill includes a charge for cleaning that amounts to $42,000. Cooking is billed for $35,200. The laundry tab is $17,600. Yardwork costs a comparatively paltry $1,200.



Kathy Thompson is pictured here when she was on strike three years ago.
Good Morning America first talked to the Thompsons in 2002, when Kathy, fed up with Gary's fishing trips, went on strike to demand help around the house. She also sought some nights out.

"He goes fishing a lot and he doesn't appreciate me, so I went on strike," Kathy said in 2002.

That strike ended when Gary showed up with flowers, plans for a vacation and dinner reservations.

"I'm killing two birds with one stone. It's our anniversary, so I decided to take her away for a couple of days. We can end the strike and celebrate our anniversary at the same time," Gary said.

But this time the honeymoon is over for good. Kathy filed for divorce and seeks repayment for services rendered.

Appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America" Tuesday, Kathy said changes in the couple's marriage were short-lived.

"I ended up doing double the work. It just started becoming part of my job, mowing the lawn," Kathy said. "I started working part-time also."

Kathy did not charge her husband for "romance". She did share how she arrived at the charges on the itemized bill.

"I called around and got estimates from different people that charged for cleaning and ... I went from there," Kathy said.

Kathy found that Laundromats charge $7 a pound for doing laundry.

Kathy doesn't think she'll actually get the $500,000 for which she is asking.

"It's not about the money. It's about standing up for women' s rights and the respect they deserve and their duties around the house," Kathy said. "I know there's men that work hard too, but a woman doesn't get a day to take a break."