In this blog I follow the developments in the U.S. labor market focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on employment and labor force participation. The studies are based on the Current Population Survey data. I look at disparaties by gender and geography and also take a historical perspective to understand how recent changes stand compared to past shocks and recessions.

4/24/2021 The Rise in Unemployment Rates and Drop in Labor Force Participation for Men and Women in 2020⁠–⁠2021. E. Stolpovsky.
I survey labor force participation, employment and unemployment rates and examine the differences for men and women. Women have been more impacted, but the difference in the impact is shrinking over time. Labor force participation and employment rates dropped in April, have been recovering until October, and have stagnated during April 2020⁠–March 2021.

4/24/2021 The Geography of Unemployment in 2020⁠–⁠2021. E. Stolpovsky.
I examine the geographical distribution of the impact of COVID on unemployment rates in the U.S. in 2020⁠–⁠2021. The states most impacted and slowest to recover were states highly dependent on tourism and entertainment and states with high population density and large urban centers. Peak unemployment occured in April and May. Most states saw a gradual recovery until October and Noveber, stagnation or a slight rise in December 2020–⁠February 2021, and a slight reduction in March 2021.

3/31/2021 Labor Force Participation in the U.S. 1976⁠–⁠2021. Reasons for Being out of the Labor Force.. E. Stolpovsky.
Female labor force participation rose dramatically from 1970s to 2000 and then stagnated. Male labor force participation rate declined since the 1970s. I look into the reasons using the Current Population Survey.

3/31/2021 Unemployment Rates of U.S. Men and Women 1976–2020. How is the COVID Recession Different from Past Recessions in its Impact on Employment?. E. Stolpovsky.
In 2020 the rise in unemployment rates was more rapid and reached higher levels than during any of the the past recessions since 1976. I compare the unemployment dynamics for men and women during the COVID recession with the recessions during the 1976-2019 using the Current Population Survey.

5/10/2016 Decision-Making of Households. Family Labor Supply, Migration, and Marriage. E. Stolpovsky, M. Killingsworth, J. Landon-Lane, C. Moehling, M. Blackburn.
Theoretical and empirical examination of household decision making, focusing on the different roles that the household members play in the common decision.

4/1/2021 What the U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey reveals about the first year of the coronavirus recession, in six charts. Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

03/22/2021 Women, Work, and Family During COVID-19: Findings from the KFF Women's Health Survey. Kaiser Family Foundation.

09/29/2020 Workforce Update: A Balancing Act For America's Working Women. Forbes.