New Jobs Data Highlight Need for Job Creation for Women and Men, Says NWLC

Women continue to lose ground during recovery

(Washington, D.C.) Analysis by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) using data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for August 2011 shows that women’s unemployment rate increased slightly in August, while men’s unemployment rate decreased—continuing the trend of women actually losing ground since the start of the recovery. (See full NWLC analysis: http://www.nwlc.org/resource/modest-recovery-largely-leaves-women-behind)

“Today’s jobs report is a wake-up call to policymakers to start creating jobs for both women and men,” said Joan Entmacher, Vice President for Family Economic Security at the National Women’s Law Center. “The recovery has been anemic overall—but women have actually lost substantial ground since the start of the recovery in June 2009. Cuts in funding for public services have resulted in major job losses, especially for women. Instead of slashing services, we should invest in job creation.”

The overall unemployment rate in August, 9.1 percent, was unchanged from July. However, women’s unemployment rate increased slightly, from 7.9 percent in July 2011 to 8.0 percent in August 2011, while men’s unemployment rate declined slightly, from 9.0 percent to 8.9 percent over the same period. Since the start of the recovery, women’s unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points, from 7.7 percent in June 2009, while men’s unemployment rate decreased by one percentage point, down from 9.9 percent in June 2009.

The overall economy failed to add any new jobs in August; women also had no net change in jobs. Women lost 9,000 public sector jobs last month, cancelling a gain of 9,000 private sector jobs. The overall economy has added 639,000 jobs since the start of the recovery, but women have lost 345,000 jobs. Heavy public sector job losses are a major cause of the grim employment picture for women during the recovery:  the public sector cut 595,000 jobs from June 2009 to August 2011, and 430,000 of those jobs were held by women.

Nearly half of all jobless men (46.5 percent) and women (44.7 percent)—5.7 million Americans—have been unable to find work for 27 weeks or more. But the federal emergency unemployment insurance program, which supplements state UI benefits that generally last for 26 weeks or less, will end in December, unless Congress extends it.

“Today’s jobs report provides no cause for celebration this Labor Day weekend,” Entmacher said. “We urge the President to outline a robust jobs agenda and encourage policymakers to focus on the real economic crisis facing this nation—the lack of jobs for women and men.”

###