Strong Job Growth in June Continues to Leave Men Behind

WASHINGTON, July 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to an Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) analysis of the July employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), although the total number of jobs lost in the recession has been recovered, men are still short 582,000 from their pre-recession peak.  Women regained their peak in September 2013, In June, women gained 158,000 jobs, while men gained 130,000 for an increase of 288,000 total jobs in June.

Women now hold 1.0 million more jobs on payrolls (68.6 million) than at their previous employment peak in April 2008 (67.6 million). Men have regained 90 percent of the jobs they lost during the recession.  In the last year, from June 2013 to June 2014, of the 2.5 million jobs added to payrolls, 49 percent were filled by women (1,217,000 jobs) and 51 percent were filled by men (1,278,000 jobs).

"Job growth in the last year indicates that both men's and women's job growth is holding steady," said IWPR President Heidi Hartmann, Ph.D. "But for men, steady growth is at a slower pace."

According to household survey data reported by the BLS, the unemployment rate for workers aged 16 and older in June was 5.9 percent for women and 6.3 percent for men. Among single mothers (female heads of households), the unemployment rate declined to 8.1 percent in June from 8.4 percent in May.

As of June, 33 percent of the 9.5 million unemployed workers have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer. A larger share of black (34 percent of black women and 39 percent of black men) and Asian (34 percent of Asian women and 32 percent of Asian men) unemployed workers have been out of work and looking for 27 weeks and longer, compared with both white (27 percent of women and 30 percent of men) and Hispanic (29 percent of women and 25 percent of men) unemployed workers.

"While strong job growth is good news and was widespread, there are still several groups who lag behind," Dr. Hartmann said.

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