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I get that this is a sexy headline. But this claim that women's labour force participation has been knocked back three decades is greatly overblown.
And it does a serious disservice to women. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/women-employment-canada-covid-19-1.5652788
And it does a serious disservice to women. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/women-employment-canada-covid-19-1.5652788
First a disclaimer. I know this is bad. And the uncertainty that families are currently facing regarding schools and daycares is a very real problem.
The labour force participation rate of core aged working women (25 to 54) in June was 82.3%, down a mere 1.4% from twelve months ago.
Also, exactly the same rate that it was in June 2009.
Also, exactly the same rate that it was in June 2009.
The bigger declines in female labour force participation have been among women who are younger - age 15 to 24. That rate has fallen by 5.4%.
Why do we think that is?
Why do we think that is?
Probably not because of the burden of childcare. More likely because women this age are more likely to work in retail trades and food services. Those businesses may be reopening but they have not returned to capacity. And many women who would have been in tourism, are not.
I should mention that three decades ago - the era that women's equality has apparently been knocked back to - the female labour force participation rate of core aged women was 60% - 22 percentage points below what it was last month.
The big movement is in hours lost for family reasons. In June men with children under the age of 17 lost only 2% of their total work hours for family reasons - for women that number is 11.5%.
Women are not leaving their jobs - but they are working fewer hours.
Women are not leaving their jobs - but they are working fewer hours.
This last point - that women are cutting back on hours rather than leaving - is important because they are remaining attached to the workforce. This bodes well for female labour force participation moving forward.
Every single article I read about women leaving the workforce cites an unbelievably privileged woman saying, "Well I guess we are going to have to get by on my husband's generous salary!"
This is an option for most women. Women's incomes are not - by in large - disposable.
This is an option for most women. Women's incomes are not - by in large - disposable.
