The composition of the nation’s work force is approaching an unprecedented benchmark, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Due in part to deep layoffs of men, women are poised to become the majority of workers for the first time.
As of September, women held 49.9% of the nation’s jobs, excluding farm workers and the self-employed, a rise of 1.2 percentage points from their 48.7% share when the recession began in December 2007. In 1970, women held 35% of jobs.
Deep cuts in male-heavy sectors like construction and manufacturing have left unemployment for men age 16 and over at 11.4% as of October — a quarter-century high. Joblessness among women is lower, at 8.8%, as employment in female-heavy sectors like education and health care has remained steadier.
There is evidence that women’s growing representation in the labor force stems not only from men losing their jobs but from women who previously didn’t work seeking employment.
Since the recession began, the number of women age 16 and over in the labor force — which includes both the employed and those who are looking for work — has expanded by 300,000 to 71.7 million.
Meanwhile, the number of men working or seeking work has dropped by 123,000 to 82.28 million, according to the Department of Labor.
“I think we are at a pivotal moment,” said Arlie Hochschild, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
For many households, it used to be that “she worked because she wanted to,” said Hochschild. “Now, she’s working because she has to.”
Photo by biewoef.