
Rebroadcast 4: Episode 12 Working 9 to 5
In January of 2020, for only the second time in the history of American labor statistics, women outnumbered men in the American workforce - a headline-making milestone. At the same time, however, another rare but significant story was developing - one that would ultimately lead to the worst job-losses among women in the history of our country.
The pandemic hit female-dominated industries the hardest: Hospitality, education, health care, and retail. By April of 2020, the pandemic had caused 4.2 million women to exit the labor force.
And even as there was a slight rebound in early summer of 2020, losses continued to chip away at any gains made as more women excited the labor force to be caregivers of young children. By early spring of 2021, there was still a 2 million job deficit among women in the labor force.
In a speech in April of 2021, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said, "Our policymaking has not accounted for the fact that people’s work lives and their personal lives are inextricably linked, and if one suffers so does the other."
What can we learn about the real cost of personal and family labor by reflecting on how this pandemic-fueled recession disproportionately affected women?
Guests:
Dr. Sucharita Sinha Mukherjee, Professor of Economics, CSB/SJU
Chef Madelyn Adamski, Community Member and Small Business Start-Up
Show Notes:
Report: Great Recession, great recovery? Trends from the Current Population Survey
Article: As the overall job market stumbles back, women still struggle to recover lost employment
Article: Why Some Women Call This Recession a ‘Shecession’
Article: Women outnumber men in the American workforce for only the second time
Report: When Women Lose All the Jobs: Essential Actions for a Gender-Equitable Recovery
Article: St. Cloud business survey: Unemployment benefits hurting hiring
Article: Central Minnesota firms struggle with worker shortages, supply chain issues
Survey Report: RESULTS OF MAY 2021 SURVEY OF GREATER ST. CLOUD/CENTRAL MINNESOTA ORGANIZATIONS
Data: Labor Force Participation Rates
Report: Wage Inequality and the Stagnation of Earnings of Low-Wage Workers: Contributing
Factors and Policy Options
Report: YOUNG WOMEN WORKERS STILL STRUGGLING A DECADE AFTER
THE GREAT RECESSION: LESSONS FOR THE PANDEMIC RECOVERY
Article: Women Left Their Jobs To Be Caregivers. A Business Coalition Wants Companies To Help
Article: After mass closures and too little support, post-pandemic child care options will be scarce
Data: American Time Use Survey
Press release: Clark Introduces the Child Care is Infrastructure Act
Report: Child care in rural Minnesota after 2020
Data: Minimum-wage rates in Minnesota
Data: Cost of Child Care in Minnesota
Episode Manager: Malik Stewart
Produced by Riverside Productions LLC
Music by Epidemic Sound
Twitter @MinnCentral
YouTube (for closed captioning)
Featured Songs:
Mannerisms - Charles Holme
Clockings - Marten Moses
Everyday Hustle - Matt Large
I’m Free - DJ DENZ The Rooster
Just In Time For Dessert - Trabant 33
Labor Life - Giants’ Nest