The She-Cession: An Unwanted “Ladies First”
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic affected our work lives in unprecedented ways…workers furloughed, jobs lost, businesses closed, bedrooms converted to home offices. While the Great Recession of 2008 more negatively affected men’s employment rates, the numbers reported last year tell a different story. The 2020 recession more dramatically upset women’s employment rates. A look at the industries and roles where women play a starring role provide insight into the many factors that led to what economists are calling the “she-cession.”
While women made up the majority of the workforce prior to the pandemic, they were disproportionately affected by job elimination during the early months of the pandemic. Case in point, female unemployment skyrocketed to an all-time high of 16.2% in April 2020. This is the first time the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a double-digit unemployment rate. As COVID-19 restrictions went into place, jobs that relied on live customer interactions were the first on the chopping block. These include roles in industries such as hospitality, retail, and other fields dominated by women. Women, specifically women of color, experienced a slower employment recovery as jobs started to rebound during the latter half of the year.
Women were penalized for more than their career choices. They were also called to action as the global health crisis called for caretakers to step up to nurse sick family members, care for children who were displaced from school, and support elderly family members who live alone. Christian Weller, senior contributor at Forbes, confirms that “women are more likely to care for parents and other family members than is the case for men…” Women are stereotypically thought of as natural caregivers with the ability to be more empathic than their male counterparts. As a result, a portion of the female workforce in their prime age of employment (between the ages of 25 and 54) voluntarily dropped out of the workforce to take care of mounting familial needs. Another group of women faced emotional turmoil as they attempted to juggle their job and the mounting needs of those around them. It is not uncommon for a mother to be working from home while managing a child or two in home school all while feeling like they aren’t doing “anything right.” Women were forced to make tough decisions where there was not a winning hand.
Mothers, sisters, and female friends more often than not played the role of caretaker and worked in industries more adversely impacted by the pandemic. It is fair to say the “she-session” of 2020 took a larger toll on the women in our lives. As allies, we should protect the women who care for us – at work, home, and in policies that protect their rights.
Originally featured in UBA’s January 2021 HR Elements Newsletter.
