Publications

Women Gain Jobs in Construction Trades but Remain Underrepresented in the Field

Between 2017 and 2018, the number of women working in construction trades increased by 17.6 percent, rising to well over a quarter of a million women (276,000).[1] This is substantially higher than job growth of 3.7 percent in construction occupations overall.

Retail Occupations: Few Signs of Employment Decline but Increasing Precarity

One in eleven U.S. workers work in retail jobs, close to 13 million workers in 2014-16. Occupations in the retail sector include Retail Salespersons, Cashiers, and Stock Clerks and Order Fillers, but also Advertising Agents, Telemarketers, and Models and Product Promoters.

By Ariane Hegewisch, Chandra Childers and Heidi Hartmann|2020-07-25T18:10:23-05:00March 13, 2019|Economic, Security, Mobility, and Equity, Fact Sheet|Comments Off on Retail Occupations: Few Signs of Employment Decline but Increasing Precarity

Still a Man’s Labor Market: The Slowly Narrowing Gender Wage Gap

The commonly used figure to describe the gender wage ratio—that a woman earns 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man—understates the pay inequality problem by leaving many women workers out of the picture. This report argues that a multi-year analysis provides a more comprehensive picture of the gender wage gap and presents a more accurate measure of the income women actually bring home to support themselves and their families.

Dreams Deferred: A Survey on the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Survivors’ Education, Careers, and Economic Security

This report examines the educational, career, and economic effects of intimate partner violence by presenting findings from a survey of 164 survivors developed by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and administered at transitional housing programs, shelters, and other domestic violence programs in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

By Cynthia Hess, Ph.D. and Alona Del Rosario|2020-09-08T15:00:35-05:00October 24, 2018|Report|0 Comments

Sexual Harassment and Assault at Work: Understanding the Costs

Through a review of the current literature on sexual harassment and assault, this briefing paper highlights how workplace sexual harassment and assault affect women’s economic advancement and security, and the costs of these harms to employers (including estimates of financial losses where available). It also provides recommendations for preventing sexual harassment and reducing the negative effects of harassment for individuals and workplaces.

By Elyse Shaw, Ariane Hegewisch and Cynthia Hess, Ph.D.|2021-08-04T19:03:27-05:00October 15, 2018|Briefing Paper|0 Comments

Women Only Pre-Apprenticeship Programs: Meeting Skills Needs and Creating Pathways to Good Jobs for Women

The average salary for someone who completed an apprenticeship is $60,000 per year. The average salary of an electrician (the most common apprenticeship) on completion of an apprenticeship is $23 per hour; for a 40-hour week this translates to $920, substantially higher than the median weekly earnings for a worker with an Associate degree (of $836 in 2017).

The Well-Being of Women in Utah in 2018

As of 2016, women in Utah still work outside of the home at similar rates to women nationally and—while not yet at the same levels as U.S. women—they also continue to pursue business ownership, make progress in educational attainment, and overcome some aspects of poverty.

By Erin Jemison and Jessica Milli|2020-08-27T01:33:45-05:00August 23, 2018|Fact Sheet, Status of Women|0 Comments

The Shifting Supply and Demand of Care Work: The Growing Role of People of Color and Immigrants

As the Baby Boom generation matures and current unmet child care needs remain constant, the United States faces a burgeoning crisis in the demand for care workers. The market has slowly but surely begun to adapt, seeing an overall growth of 19 percent in the number of care workers between 2005 and 2015, with most of that growth in adult care. The U.S. Department of Labor suggests that this will only grow further, projecting that the economy will add more than 1.6 million jobs in occupations related to adult care by 2024 (Rolen 2017).

By Heidi Hartmann, Jeff Hayes, Rebecca Huber, Kelly Rolfes-Haase and Jooyeoun Suh, Ph.D.|2020-08-10T03:28:32-05:00June 27, 2018|Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Economy, Report|Comments Off on The Shifting Supply and Demand of Care Work: The Growing Role of People of Color and Immigrants