Adult Women’s Unemployment Hits Four-Year Low Despite April’s Tepid Job Growth, NWLC Analysis Shows

(Washington, D.C.)  Adult women’s unemployment rate declined to 6.7 percent in April, the lowest rate since January 2009, according to new analysis by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) of data released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  This decline occurred in a month of slow growth where the economy added 165,000 jobs, 71 percent of which were women’s jobs.  All of April’s gains were in the private sector – women’s public sector employment was flat while men lost 11,000 public sector jobs last month.

“Adult women’s unemployment rate hit a four-year low, declining to 6.7 percent in April.  This is an encouraging sign, but last month’s overall growth was tepid,” said Emily Martin, NWLC Vice President and General Counsel.  “As the negative effects of the sequester escalate, the limited progress we’ve seen could easily unravel.  It’s time for Congress to stop the sequester and invest in families and the economy.”

Women’s largest job gains in March were in private service industries: professional and business services (+35,000), retail (+32,500), private education and health (+25,000), and leisure and hospitality (+23,000).  Women’s biggest losses were in information (-6,000). Men’s largest job gains were in professional and business services (+38,000) and leisure and hospitality (+20,000).  In addition to their public sector losses, men suffered their largest losses in construction (-7,000) and mining and logging (-4,000).  Since the start of the recovery in June 2009, women have lost 444,000 public sector jobs, while men have lost 297,000.

Adult women’s unemployment rate declined 0.3 percentage point in April, while adult men’s increased 0.2 percentage point. The unemployment rates for adult black women and men, adult Hispanic women and men, and single mothers all declined in April. 

Nearly 11.7 million Americans are unemployed; almost 4.4 million have been jobless for six months or more.

“For millions of Americans still struggling in this slow recovery, the sequester’s chilling effect on the economy and cuts to vital programs are making life harder,” added Martin.  “Meanwhile, Congress is worried about delays at airports.  Lawmakers need to get their priorities straight: end the sequester and get the whole country—not just business travelers—back on track.” 

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