More American women are working for pay now than ever before, and interestingly, a recent analysis revealed that this increase is primarily driven by mothers with children under the age of five.
Mothers of children under the age of five, who have historically worked less compared to other women, have experienced significant gains in their employment since the pandemic. This finding comes from an analysis conducted by the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution, which utilized data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The research highlights a crucial factor contributing to this increase: the newfound ability of certain mothers, particularly those who are married and have college degrees, to work remotely.
The analysis emphasizes the remarkable trend occurring among married, well-educated women with young children. These women perceive themselves as workers and were already on an upward trajectory prior to the pandemic. Instead of slowing down during the crisis, they rebounded and continued to progress. An example is Julia Keintz, who secured a job as the head of analytics at Zillow two years ago when her children were 6 months and 11 years old. One significant reason she chose this job was because Zillow allows its employees to work from anywhere and maintain flexible schedules.
Living outside San Francisco, where Zillow has an office, Julia rarely commutes to work. In her previous jobs, she had to figure out how to balance work and parenting on her own, uncertain if she might have to quit. However, Zillow is the first company she has worked for that openly embraces and supports flexibility. This level of flexibility has numerous advantages for Julia, such as avoiding the hassle of transporting breast-pumping supplies, saving 90 minutes a day that would have been spent commuting, and being able to attend to her children's after-school activities and preparations.
The percentage of women working in the United States experienced rapid growth in the 1970s following the women's movement. It surpassed 77 percent for those between the ages of 25 and 54 in the 1990s, driven by changes in welfare policies and the introduction of the earned-income tax credit. However, progress stalled in subsequent years, unlike in other peer countries where female employment rates continued to rise. Economists attribute this stagnation to the lack of family-friendly policies in the United States, such as paid leave and subsidized childcare. Additionally, employers now increasingly expect their employees to be available around the clock, which poses challenges for working parents.
Mothers of children under the age of five, who have historically worked less compared to other women, have experienced significant gains in their employment since the pandemic. This finding comes from an analysis conducted by the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution, which utilized data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The research highlights a crucial factor contributing to this increase: the newfound ability of certain mothers, particularly those who are married and have college degrees, to work remotely.
The analysis emphasizes the remarkable trend occurring among married, well-educated women with young children. These women perceive themselves as workers and were already on an upward trajectory prior to the pandemic. Instead of slowing down during the crisis, they rebounded and continued to progress. An example is Julia Keintz, who secured a job as the head of analytics at Zillow two years ago when her children were 6 months and 11 years old. One significant reason she chose this job was because Zillow allows its employees to work from anywhere and maintain flexible schedules.
Living outside San Francisco, where Zillow has an office, Julia rarely commutes to work. In her previous jobs, she had to figure out how to balance work and parenting on her own, uncertain if she might have to quit. However, Zillow is the first company she has worked for that openly embraces and supports flexibility. This level of flexibility has numerous advantages for Julia, such as avoiding the hassle of transporting breast-pumping supplies, saving 90 minutes a day that would have been spent commuting, and being able to attend to her children's after-school activities and preparations.
The percentage of women working in the United States experienced rapid growth in the 1970s following the women's movement. It surpassed 77 percent for those between the ages of 25 and 54 in the 1990s, driven by changes in welfare policies and the introduction of the earned-income tax credit. However, progress stalled in subsequent years, unlike in other peer countries where female employment rates continued to rise. Economists attribute this stagnation to the lack of family-friendly policies in the United States, such as paid leave and subsidized childcare. Additionally, employers now increasingly expect their employees to be available around the clock, which poses challenges for working parents.
Labor force participation among working-age adults, including mothers, experienced an increase in late 2019, just before the pandemic hit. This surge can be attributed to a combination of low unemployment rates and certain state and local policies that facilitated job opportunities. Currently, the employment rate for women between the ages of 25 and 54 stands at a record high of 77.7 percent. This data demonstrates that despite the challenges posed by school and childcare closures during the pandemic, decades of progress in women's employment have not been erased.
In recent months, there have been several factors contributing to the increased participation of women in the workforce. Temporary federal expansions of paid leave and childcare subsidies during the pandemic, along with some states and cities making these benefits permanent, have played a role. Additionally, a tight labor market has made jobs more appealing, and inflation has increased the importance of higher income. Moreover, societal changes that were already underway prior to the pandemic have continued, including higher levels of education among women, delayed childbirth, and a greater focus on building a career as a central aspect of personal identity.
One significant change that has had a profound impact on working parents, according to researchers, is the rise of remote work and increased flexibility in terms of when and where work is conducted. These pandemic-triggered shifts have not only benefited mothers but have also had a positive effect on other groups, such as individuals with disabilities, who are also experiencing record-high levels of employment.
Becca Cosani took a leap of faith when she accepted a new job as a health insurance consultant while her oldest daughter, Emilia, was just a baby. This decision was not without its concerns, as the role required frequent travel—a challenging prospect for a mother with a young child and a husband whose business cannot be operated remotely. She described it as a "scary move."
However, the onset of the pandemic brought unexpected changes. With clients transitioning to remote work and finding it more efficient, Becca's travel plans never materialized. Instead, she now works from her home office in Missouri City, Texas. During breaks, she can tend to household chores or run errands, reclaiming valuable time that can be spent with her children when they are home. Whether it's riding bikes or searching for pecans from their backyard tree, Becca cherishes these moments with her kids.
Working remotely also grants her the flexibility to attend to her children's needs. Whether it's accompanying them to ballet class or addressing an ear infection, Becca can easily adjust her schedule. One highlight of her day is walking Emilia and Isabel, her one-year-old, home from preschool. They take their time, pausing to appreciate the beauty of leaves and nature—moments that Becca believes she would have missed if she were commuting or traveling. Being able to partake in these simple joys has become a source of immense happiness for her.
The analysis conducted did not include fathers, but other data indicates that fathers who have the ability to work from home are also spending more time on parenting responsibilities compared to before the pandemic. Moreover, fathers now place a greater value on flexibility in their work arrangements. Claudia Goldin, a Harvard economist who recently received the Nobel Prize for her research on female employment, suggests that the "new normal at work" factor is at play in this shift. Goldin has discovered that some women who would have otherwise left the workforce when their children were young have continued working, presenting a silver lining amidst the challenges of the pandemic.
The group that has benefited the most from remote work is mothers of babies and toddlers, as they require significant hands-on care. According to the analysis by the Hamilton Project, 80.3 percent of college-educated mothers with children under the age of 5 are currently employed, surpassing the previous high of 77.4 percent at the end of 2019. Additionally, almost half of these mothers reported working from home at least once a week, which is a much higher proportion compared to any other group.
However, women with lower levels of education, as well as those who are Hispanic or unmarried, tend to have jobs that cannot be performed remotely, such as retail clerks or health aides. Although this group has largely returned to work, their employment rate remains below pre-pandemic levels. For instance, among mothers with young children and a high school diploma or less, 54.4 percent are currently working, compared to 56.1 percent at the end of 2019. Moreover, these workers are less likely to have employers that offer family-friendly benefits or spouses with flexible schedules. It is argued by researchers that government policies are necessary to support these workers.
Misty Heggeness, an economist at the University of Kansas, emphasizes the need for special attention and support for women who are unable to work remotely. This awareness and understanding can help guide the development of improved social policies and structural supports to address the unique challenges faced by this specific group of workers.