Unemployment is Hardest for Men

A few days ago, my wife was commenting that it seemed like the husband’s of many of her friends were losing their jobs, and suddenly its women who are taking care of the household. It seemed like an odd thought at the time, but now it seems that the statistics are backing that up.

In a story written by Andrea Coombes of MarketWatch, She points out that, indeed, statistics are indicating that there is a wide gap between the unemployment rate of men and women, the second highest gap in recorded history, which began in 1948. The highest gap was in May, which means it’s actually fallen in the last month. The unemployment rate for men in June 2009 is 10.6%, whereas for women it’s at 8.3%.

The belief is that the male dominated industries of construction and manufacturing have taken the brunt of major job losses, whereas the major employers of women, health care and education, have fared a little better, especially health care, which has actually shown an increase in employment. Men make up 87% of manufacturing jobs and 71% of construction jobs, whereas women make up 81% of health care jobs and 61% of education.

The reason this puts a big burden on families is that there’s still a big gap in the incomes of men and women, with women still making around 71% of what men make in similar positions. Unemployment payments don’t come close to helping families get through tough times, and once men lose jobs in these two areas, which are high paying jobs for people who usually have less education, it’s harder for them to find comparable paying jobs.

Introduce race into the equation and the numbers are even worse. The unemployment rate for black men is 18%, and for black women 12.2%, whereas for white men it’s at 9.7%, and white women 7.3%. It’s traditionally harder for black men and women to find new employment.

Economists disagree on what’s coming next. Some believe manufacturing jobs will come back as the economy starts to turn around, as more people are ready to purchase durable goods without saving as much. Others believe that those manufacturing jobs are gone forever, and that there will need to be a change first in education, then the types of jobs people continue to look for. Indeed, the concept of reinvention, as in changing careers in midstream, is growing.

Though manufacturing jobs are declining, construction jobs do seem to be on their way back, as housing starts are starting to turn in some communities, and a big part of President Obama’s stimulus package starts to reach the cities, many of whom have had building projects on hold. So, there will be opportunities for some communities to start turning around, and the biggest beneficiaries will be men.

And it’s just what the doctor ordered; let’s hope that it’s in time.

See more:
Unemployment Centers Close Friday
Meltdown 101: Why Unemployment Will Linger
What Do Unemployment Figures Mean?