In the early twentieth century, the majority of women either worked in their homes, were farmers, or served as isolated and specialized seamstresses paid for piecework. In the twenty-first century, practically all women are salaried employees regardless of their family situation or their spouse's profession, and leave home to work, even if only for a few hours. With the spread of salaried employment, their labour has now become visible and disconnected from their family status. The divorce between professional and family status is now complete, with this situation no longer being seen as shameful and miserable for a number of decades. During the second half of the twentieth century, work served as a springboard towards economic independence for women, a major step towards freedom. Women are far from being a minority in the working world. The contributions of their hard physical labour have always been immense and invaluable. Their work has never been incidental for society, just as their salary today is more than just extra income for the family.