Trends in Employment and Earnings
Women’s status in the area of employment and earnings has improved on two indicators since the publication of IWPR’s last national report on the status of women, the 2004 Status of Women in the States, and remained unchanged or declined on two others. Women’s median annual earnings for full-time, year-round work in 2013 ($39,157) were nearly identical to their earnings for similar work in 2002 ($39,108 when adjusted to 2013 dollars). The gender earnings ratio improved during this time from 76.6 to 78.3 percent, narrowing the gender wage gap by 1.7 percentage points, and the share of women working in professional or managerial occupations grew from 33.2 to 39.9 percent. Women’s labor force participation rate, however, declined from 59.6 in 2002 to 57.0 percent in 2014.
The Case for Subsidized Child Care
The evidence is clear: Building a strong child care infrastructure is necessary for a prosperous economy. Subsidized child care allows mothers to work more and spend less, resulting in greater savings for retirement and improved economic security later in life. It supports working parents while creating new jobs.
Not Just 9 to 5: Expanding Child Care Options for Parents Working Nontraditional Hours
In the United States, a whopping 43 percent of children have a parent who works “nontraditional hours,” or during the early mornings, nights, or weekends. And yet just 8 percent of child care centers offer care before 7am or after 6pm. While families of all types require care during nontraditional hours, Black and Latinx workers and low-income workers are disproportionately more likely to work during nontraditional hours.
Women Make Gains in Men-Dominated Jobs, but Still Lag Behind in COVID-19 Recovery
Employment data released in April 2022 show another month of strong job growth. Women gained the majority of total job growth and moved into men-dominated jobs, like construction. Still, women are still much further than men from reaching pre-pandemic levels.
