Women Filled 98 Percent of New US Jobs in August

Women accounted for 158,000 of the 162,000 nonfarm payroll jobs added in August. This represents 98 percent of the total employment gain. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released these figures last week. The data shows a sharp divergence in labor force participation by gender. American men have been withdrawing from the workforce for years. Recent reports suggest this trend is accelerating.

There are now 870,000 more women employed in the US than a year ago. Meanwhile, there are 1.5 million fewer employed men. The gap between male and female employment is at its widest since 1990. In 1990, men were significantly overrepresented in the workforce. Labor economists note that month-to-month swings are common. However, this data aligns with long-term structural shifts.

Sectoral shifts drive gendered employment changes

Health care and public education grew the fastest in August. Both sectors are female-dominated. These industries expanded while male-heavy sectors shrank. Computing, data processing, and finance saw job losses. Employment in health care has nearly doubled since the 1990s. The female share of workers in this sector has remained near 76 percent for four decades. This structural change explains a portion of the aggregate shift.

Kirk Doran, a labor economics professor at Notre Dame University, identified the multi-decade decline in male participation. He noted a simultaneous multi-decade increase in female participation. Christian vom Lehn, a professor at Brigham Young University, agreed with this assessment. He cited falling discrimination and technological changes as drivers for women’s entry. He stated that the factors driving men’s exit are less clear. Research from 2018 found little link between wives entering work and husbands leaving it.

Researchers debate causes of male labor withdrawal

Vom Lehn suggested the changing structure of the economy plays a major role. He noted that many theories exist for men working less. Doran and vom Lehn listed several potential causes. These include the difficulty of mid-career job shifts. Public health and disability issues are also factors. The popularity of video games and rising affluence are cited as contributors. Ben Smith, head of research at the American Institute for Boys and Men, referenced similar hypotheses. He noted that young men are less likely to launch their careers than earlier generations.

Labor economists have not reached a single conclusion on this trend. Vom Lehn described the situation as having 25 stories explaining 30 percent each. This prevents a clear synthesis of the data. The material from GN markets/jobs (en-US) highlights the lack of consensus. The data points to a complex interaction of cultural and economic forces. The employment gap remains at historic highs. No single variable explains the entire shift.