Job Growth for Women and Men Continues; Unemployment Rates at Five-Year Lows

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to analysis by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), due to continued job growth in November, women hold more jobs on payrolls than ever before (women initially surpassed their previous employment peak in October). Men have regained 75 percent (4.5 million) of the jobs they lost during the recession. Of the 2.3 million jobs added to payrolls in the last year, 51 percent were filled by women, and 49 percent were filled by men. Nonetheless, men held 1.6 million more jobs than women in November.

IWPR's analysis of the December employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds, of the 203,000 total jobs added in November, women gained 94,000 of those jobs (46 percent), while men gained 109,000 jobs (54 percent). Women's employment growth was strongest in Education and Health Services (39,000 jobs gained by women), Professional and Business Services (17,000 jobs), and Retail Trade (15,600 jobs).  If the number of jobs had grown as fast as the working age population since the start of the recession, women would hold 3.8 million more jobs in November 2013 and men would hold an additional 5.4 million.

"While unemployment is dropping and men are steadily regaining the jobs they lost during the recession," said IWPR Study Director Jeffrey Hayes, "employment growth for both men and women hasn't caught up with population growth. We still need to focus on creating jobs–especially jobs that pay well and provide benefits."

According to the household survey data reported by the BLS, the unemployment rate decreased to 6.7 percent in November for women and 7.3 percent for men. Among single mothers, however, the unemployment rate increased slightly to 9.7 percent.

The November data builds on IWPR's analysis of trends that emerged in the first four years of the recovery, notably the relative growth in industries—such as Education and Health Services—with high concentrations of women workers, and the contraction in government jobs and their effects on job growth for both men and women.  

The Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that conducts rigorous research and disseminates its findings to address the needs of women and their families, promote public dialogue, and strengthen communities and societies.

SOURCE Institute for Women's Policy Research