According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) this Friday, the labor participation rate for women in the United States increased to one of its all-time highs, standing at 77.8%.
Although the figure is similar to that reported in February 2020 when it reached 77%, during the Covid-19 pandemic decreased to 73.5% and it is that the health emergency increased the number of unemployment and more than 20 million people in the US were left without work.
Despite the fact that the labor market has been recovering in recent months, women’s labor force is still not up to men’s level. For Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter, “the relationship [general] employment-population of productive age continued to increase, reaching 80.9%, the highest level since 2001; among women, it reached 75.3%, the highest on record,” she said.
Therefore, the post-pandemic economic evolution has prompted many women to re-enter the workforce. “Future employment reports are likely to continue to show strong employment growth. Partly driven by the recovery in hiring in industries hardest hit by the pandemic,” Pollak wrote.
Another factor to take into consideration is that despite the fact that progress is being made in hiring women, many barriers still remain, for example; the salary difference.
According to a study presented in March by the Pew Research Center lWomen continue to earn much less than menIn detail, it is 82 cents less for each dollar and the workload could become more overwhelming due to the responsibility of the household.
The introduction of artificial intelligence has also been seen as part of the problem, with analysis pointing out that 79% of occupations carried out by female workers are vulnerable to automation Being able to leave them unemployed in the future, this figure represents approximately 59 million women.
However, Dana Peterson, chief economist at the Conference Board, said that The incorporation of new technology could in the future generate more job opportunities. “Yes, it can destroy jobs in the short term, but it can also create new and different opportunities. It helps people to be more productive in their existing jobs,” she said.
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Source: La Opinion
