By Renee Morad
As jobless claims rise to 30.3 million over the past six weeks, early data also suggests that unemployment related to the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting women more than men. According to a report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), based on payroll data between February and March 2020, women shouldered nearly 60% of job losses—outnumbering men in all sectors of the economy.
“Women, because of their over-representation in the service sector, have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19,” says C. Nicole Mason, president and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. “The loss of jobs in sectors dominated by women will have a devastating impact on families, especially those headed by single mothers or where women are the primary or co-breadwinner.”
