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Table of Contents
  • Job Gap Between Women and Men
     
  • Paid Sick Leave Legislation Passes in Seattle 
     
  • Recent Research: Employment, Social Security, and Paid Sick Days 
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Job Gap Between Women and Men in Economic Recovery 

 

IWPR analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (updated on September 1) finds that, in the economic recovery, women are lagging behind men in job gains. While men lost more jobs during the recession, women's unemployment has remained relatively stable since June 2009--while men's unemployment has decreased.  

 

Steps for Improving Women's Employment

In a briefing paper, the Womens Scholars Forum, a group of economics and policy experts, outlined several steps that the administration could take to address women's unemployment and close the job gap. The group met with members of President Obama's economic team in the days leading up to the announcement of the American Jobs Act on September 9.

 

American Jobs Act and Women

 

IWPR's briefing paper on boosting employment for women was cited in a fact sheet released by the White House that discusses the impact of the American Jobs Act on women. 

 

Media Coverage of IWPR's Job Gap Research:  

  • The Huffington Post, "Obama Jobs Plan: Women Pleasantly Surprised" (August 9) 
  • MarketWatch, "Job Recovery Gap Between Men, Women: Study" (September 7)
  • The New York Times Economix Blog, "Public Job Creation" (September 5)
  • The Huffington Post, "What's Good for Women Is Good for the Nation: Jobs, Livable Wages and Equal Pay" (September 4) 


Seattle Adopts Paid Sick Leave Legislation
 

 

On September 12, Seattle joined two other cities, Washington, DC and Milwaukee, WI, in adopting paid sick leave legislation that will require businesses and employers to offer workers paid time off for an illness. This law will help to ensure employees are not penalized or fired for taking time off from work to treat an illness or care for a sick family member. IWPR research helped to inform community leaders' efforts to pass the law.

IWPR Research on Paid Sick Days: Impact on Employment 


IWPR continues to research the impact of paid sick days legislation. In August, IWPR released a fact sheet showing that San Francisco, CA, maintained lower unemployment levels than surrounding counties--even after enforcement of the city's paid sick leave ordinance began in 2007.

Pending Paid Sick Days Law in Denver 

 

Paid sick leave legislation is pending in cities and states nationwide. Denver, CO, is set to decide on a paid sick leave law in a November ballot initiative.

 

Media Coverage of IWPR Research on Paid Sick Days:

Recent Research
  • Women Underrepresented Among High Earners in Business and Finance, Quick Figures (September 2011).
  • Women and Men in the Public Sector, Quick Figures (September 2011).
  • Job Gap Between Women and Men Persists in August, Quick Figures (September 2011).
  • Recommendations for Improving Women's Employment in the Recovery, briefing paper by the Womens Scholars Foum (September 2011).   
  • Most Americans Think the Growth of Social Security Spending Should Not Be Cut to Reduce the Deficit, Quick Figures (September 2011). 
  • San Francisco Employment Growth Remains Stronger with Paid Sick Days Law than Surrounding Counties, fact sheet by Kevin Miller, Ph.D., and Sarah Towne (August 2011).
  • The Job Loss Tsunami of the Great Recession: Wave Recedes for Men, Not Women, Quick Figures by Heidi Hartmann, Ph.D., and Jeff Hayes, Ph.D. (July 2011).