When COVID hit and the stay-at-home orders began, some women were losing their jobs due to closures, while others were forced out to care for their families as schools and daycares closed. In December, a report was released showing that women accounted for all of the jobs lost that month. And now the Bureau of Labor Statistics has released newer numbers. These show that within these numbers, Black and Latinx women are suffering from higher numbers of job loss. Currently, Latinx women have the highest numbers of job loss at 9.1 percent, and Black women are at 8.4 percent. White women have the lowest rate right now with 5.7 percent, making some gains even while losing jobs. Understanding the differences in jobs held, Black and Latinx women losing jobs at higher rates shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Think about the types of jobs these women tend to have. They tend to be essential, working at places like grocery stores, big box stores or other retail shops. Additionally, they may have jobs in childcare, like daycare employees or operators, or babysitters/nannies. Many also work in food service or another service-type job like cleaning houses or office buildings. All of those fields are struggling right now with COVID related closures happening left and right.
