Textbook Reading Guide Chapters 6 7 8 9 Chapter 6 Trends in women s employment and labor force participation and reasons o In 1940 less than 20 of the female population was in the labor force o In 2006 56 of the female population aged 16 and older was in the o This was not necessarily done as a cry for liberation but more of as an o Women of childbearing age have especially high rates of labor force workforce economic necessity participation o Now more than 2 out 3 married women ages 25 64 are in the workforce o Women s labor force participation has grown at a faster pace then men s o The most remarkable trend in women s employment has been the rapid in recent decades rise in the of married women with children in the labor force o Reasons of increased labor force participation for women Changes in the economy a transition from a manufacturing to a service economy has had the largest impact The U S department of labor projects that the occupations experiencing the largest numerical gains in employment in the next decade will be personal and home care aides and home health aides Decline in real earnings families have become more dependent on women s earnings due to inflation unemployment and less purchasing power Unless both partner s have jobs many families would be unable to survive economically ex pay the mortgage or the rent Women who maintained families alone had the LOWEST median family income 28 829 Personal fulfillment work outside the home paid work gives women pride worth and identity It allows some economic independence from men Women realize the gaps in work experience may relate to lower pay and job insecurity so they understand it is in their best interest long term to work outside the home Working wives now contribute about 35 of their families income and women out earn men in about of dual earner families Men and women still different in types of work and sector of the economy Despite family obligations it is more likely than not that women will work outside the home while raising a family o Women and work Trends in the employment and labor force participation of men and reasons o In White males declines were importantly due to lower age of retirement where as minorities the discouraged worker effect the unemployed dropping out of the labor force after an unsuccessful period of job search on prime working age males played a greater role Causes of Decreased Labor Force Participation in men o Structural unemployment advances in technology and the shift from manufacturing to service and information have had serious consequences for male laborers especially in industrial jobs Four out of five people losing jobs are men The highest unemployment rates were found in areas in which men hold a large majority of jobs Exs construction 21 agriculture 19 and manufacturing 12 o The redistribution of jobs as manufacturing jobs have become more scarce men are working in the service sector which pays MUCH less One of the fastest growing occupations for men has been sales One result of men s lower earnings and women s greater economic self sufficiency is an increasing number of single parent families o Decline in real wages men continue to supply the largest part of the family income but the share that women provide is increasing Men s share of family income is steadily declining o Teen labor force participation has declined since the late 1970s o A lot of teens do freelance work work that is on a casual as needed basis such as lawn mowing or babysitting o Contemporary youth are LESS likely to be employed and work less hours o Teens in higher income families are more likely to work than teens in low o Teens enrolled in school are less likely to be employed than those not than in the past income families enrolled in school As rates of high school graduation and advanced education rise Trends in teen employment teens rates in the workforce DECREASE o Top five industries employing teens Work family interference 1 eating drinking places 2 grocery stores 3 miscellaneous entertainment and services 4 construction 5 department stores o Definition refers to the ways in which the connections between jobs and family life may be a source of tension for workers and family members o The worlds of work and family overlap and interact o Work and family linkages vary based on the structural characteristics of o Variance is also created through class race and gender stratification each systems o Family interference refers to the ways in which the connections between jobs and family life can be a source of tension for workers and families Spillover positive and negative o Definition the transfer of moods feelings and behavior between work o Can be positive or negative o Work to family spillover tends to be more negative and happens more and family settings frequently o For men work stress is more likely to affect their family life o For women their family stress is more likely to influence their work lives Work family role system o Definition women s and men s uneven relationship to work and family o This system represents a partial revision of the separate spheres model for gender roles but still reinforces the traditional division of labor in both work and family o Perpetuates women s inequality in the workforce o Work Factors that Impact the Family Gender inequality both family and work impose unequal demands on men and women Not only are women more likely to work part time earn less and receive fewer benefits than men but they also assume more family responsibility than men and report greater stress in both work and family roles The demands of family intrude more on women s work roles than on those of men their family lives For men the role is reversed Their work demands intrude more on Marital status frequently has different implications for women and men who are seeking jobs Pressures of balancing work and family are becoming more demanding for men as they are becoming more involved with family life Some men are more willing to sacrifice career advancement to share family responsibilities Persistent culturally prescribed gender roles continue to shape women s and men s work and family behavior in predictable directions Work hours total demand vs 40 hour week for individuals o The standard work week that is a work schedule over weekday daytime hours is declining while shift work is on the rise for women and men alike shift work working evenings nights or on a rotating schedule o The Time Squeeze