Despite modest employment gains in October, high numbers of Black and Hispanic women remain jobless.
According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), women still hold 5.5 million fewer jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels in February. However, women’s labour force participation rate increased slightly from 56.8% to 57.2%, with 480,000 women rejoining the workforce last month. Job growth for women was strongest in leisure and hospitality, adding 161,000 jobs in October. Nevertheless, employment levels in this sector is only 77% of pre-Covid levels.
Yet despite women gaining 280,000 (43.9%) of 638,000 new non-farm payroll jobs, with women experiencing lower unemployment rates (6.5%) than men (6.7%) for the first time since April, “stubborn trends continue”, confirmed IWPR. “Women of colour continue to bear the brunt of these slow returns.”
‘ABYSMAL DATA’ FOR MINORITY WOMEN
The unemployment rate among women remains highest for Black (9.2%) and Hispanic (9%) women. The continuing weakness of the recovery for women is highlighted by “anaemic growth” in the child care sector, accounting for just 8,000 jobs (83% of pre-Covid employment levels), and around 97,800 job losses in local government education. “This has created severe pressures for women with children,” noted IWPR.
“Yet another month of jobs data with abysmal outcomes, especially for Black and Hispanic women, underscores the need for economic policies that centre on the needs of working women of colour,” stated IWPR President and CEO C Nicole Mason. “A gender-equitable recovery is in order, with policies and programmes that immediately address their intersecting concerns, provides income and support, and rebuilds the collapsed care infrastructure.”
Let’s hope incoming President Joe Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris make this one of their key priorities.
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