Working moms, have you noticed more female faces on your commute lately? For the first time, women may soon comprise a majority of the labor force.
Unfortunately, it's not because women have made great strides in workplace equality. The shift results from the high number of layoffs in male-dominated fields, such as manufacturing and construction, according to a New York Times story. Industries with a higher proportion of female workers, such as health care and government, tend to be more stable.
The Labor Department on Friday reported that the U.S. has lost 3.6 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. As of December 2008, there were 66.7 million women on the payroll of U.S. employers (not including farms), out of 135.2 million total, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That brings women to 49.3 percent of the workforce -- almost half.
If this trend continues, there are interesting implications for the balance of power in marriages. When your husband gets a pink slip, suddenly you become the breadwinner wife. This role brings with it additional stress, but also pride that you're supporting the family in a difficult time. Certainly, it makes you thankful that you continued working after having children.
In your family, who earns the majority of the income? How does it affect your power dynamic? Please answer in the comments, and take the poll!
When I saw the headline, I immediately thought the reason was that companies were laying off men because they cost more. Any idea if this is happening? Men that have been working for companies for 30/40 years get paid a lot more than women that might have quit a job to have kids and come back to work and only at the job for 10 years.
Interesting question. When I spoke with the Labor Department they said they don’t ask why the change is happening — they just report the numbers. And actually, they don’t track layoffs specifically.