from the St Louis Fed
-- this post authored by Meredith Covington, Manager, Supervision Policy, Research and Analysis Manager; and Ana H. Kent, Policy Analyst, Center for Household Financial Stability
During most of the coronavirus pandemic, women have faced higher unemployment rates than men, as the pandemic affected sectors with high shares of female workers, particularly in service professions. Moreover, the closures of schools and day care centers and the implementation of remote learning have increased child care needs, which disparately affect working mothers.
A September McKinsey study (PDF) shows that roughly a third of working mothers were considering taking a leave of absence, dropping out of the work force entirely, cutting their hours, moving to part-time or switching to a less-demanding role. Childcare responsibilities were a primary concern for most of these mothers.