The Gendered Impact of the COVID-19 Recession on the US Labor Market

Stefania Albanesi and Jiyeon Kim

No 15838, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: The economic crisis associated with the emergence of the novel corona virus is unlike standard recessions. Demand for workers in high contact and inflexible service occupations has declined, while parental supply of labor has been reduced by lack of access to reliable child care and in-person schooling options. This has led to a substantial and persistent drop in employment and labor force participation for women, who are typically less affected by recessions than men. We examine real time data on employment, unemployment, labor force participation and gross job flows to document the gendered impact of the pandemic. We also discuss the potential long-term implications of this crisis, including the role of automation in depressing the recovery of employment for the worst hit service occupations.

Keywords: Employment; Unemployment; Labor force participation; Gender gaps; Covid-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E24 J16 J21 J22 J23 J63 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-gen and nep-mac
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (38)

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Working Paper: The Gendered Impact of the COVID-19 Recession on the US Labor Market (2021)
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