ORLANDO, Fla. — The pandemic has had serious implications for many, and those who study the impact on the labor market say women, more than men, have taken the brunt.


What You Need To Know


“In the United States, we have employment disparities in certain industries," said Nolan Kline, an assistant professor of anthropology at Rollins College. “We’re engaging in social distancing and not going to certain businesses that tend to have a representation of more women working in them.”

According to Kline, women make up a larger share of customer service-focused jobs in industries like restaurants, hospitality and travel.​

But, there's more.

“Women will still spend more time than men on childcare. And social scientists sometimes call this a double burden or second shift," he explained. "That’s continued through the pandemic."

Women, Kline said, have more often left jobs to care for children at home, help with home schooling or even care for older parents and relatives.

A recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, released in August of this year, noted that in the U.S., women’s unemployment increased by 12.8 percentage points between February and April 2020. That stands in contrast that to men, at 9.9 percentage points.

The study also found that, while men have fared slightly worse than women in terms of unemployment during recessions since 1980, including the 2009 recession, women fared worse in 2020 — by 2.9 percentage points.

The same study posited the pandemic could even have broader repercussions in the future, widening the existing gender wage gap.

It's a notion that Kline agrees could happen, given the reality of the economic situation for many.

“My fear is that we’re going to see some of the inequalities persist and worsen. The reason why I'm thinking that could be the case is because of the extreme economic constraints that place pressure on people right now," he said. "It’s hard to fight for equality and pay when you have bills piling up."


VIDEO: Kline on How Career Gender Inequality is Exacerbating the Unemployment Problem


While Amanda Lopez is only 22 years old and doesn't yet have children or elderly parents to care for, she too has felt the pressure. In March, Lopez was furloughed from her job at Disney World, where she worked as a pastry cook.

“There was a lot of uncertainty about when we would go back to work, if we would go back to work," she said.

In the interim, Lopez started a small business making custom cakes, cookies and cupcakes.

Her Sweets and Treats by Amanda orders earned her enough money to supplement what she was getting from unemployment.

“Having that extra money on the side made me less worried, 'Can I pay this? And do this?'" she said. 

Several weeks ago, Lopez felt a deep sense of relief as she got a call to return to work.

But she knows many of her colleagues, predominantly women, were not as lucky. 

"Before I worked at Topolino’s, I worked at the Contemporary and there were about 40 employees. The majority of them were women. I know a lot of them got laid off," she said. “A coworker of mine has a kid, she was the only one in the house working, and it’s like, now we’re laid off.”

Many, she said, have taken any job they can, often taking home well below what they were making prior to the pandemic, to get by.

“Especially for women who have to take care of children or other people, taking a pay cut like that, that being a long term thing," she said. 

For now, Lopez is pleased to have her job back and earn a steady paycheck. She also said she'll continue her side baking business, dreaming of the day she can open up her own shop.

“Seeing the joy on people’s faces is what motivates me," she said.