All working people—regardless of race, class, or gender—want jobs that allow them to support their families and live with dignity. But far too often, employers do not provide the wages, hours, or benefits that people need to achieve economic security and stability.
This was true before COVID-19 began and it remains true today—especially for women, and for women of color most of all. Although women make up just under half of the workforce in the United States, they represent nearly two-thirds (64.1 percent) of the workforce in the 40 lowest-paying jobs.
A new analysis from the National Women’s Law Center examines the women in the jobs and how they were faring in 2021. It confirms that in 2021, millions of women were still struggling to pay their bills and support their families, despite their education, experience, and hard work in essential jobs. And it makes clear what a low unemployment rate often obscures: in the absence of structural reforms to enable all working people to thrive, having a job is no guarantee of having enough income to make ends meet.