1,339. Housework During Shiva

208:14 Housework is not considered prohibited work for a mourner. A woman sitting shiva is permitted to cook, bake and perform any necessary household chores, but anything she doesn't need is prohibited. Similarly, if a domestic servant became a mourner, even though she is paid to do the chores, she is permitted to do them. She may not, however, do anything that isn't necessary for the house and is just for her own profit. She certainly shouldn't leave the house since she's like any other mourner.

208:15 If there are two partners in a shop and one of them becomes a mourner, the shop closes so that the partner doesn't work in public, but he may work in private at home, even on their shared business. If the mourner is a prominent person and the business enterprise is called by his name, the partner may not perform the work, not even in his home. If it will incur a large financial loss if the partner doesn't open the shop, a Torah authority should be consulted regarding whether this may be done after the first three days of shiva.