Women’s employment less affected by pandemic than many feared

Women’s work and employment have been less affected by the pandemic than many feared, according to the Resolution Foundation.

Experts had warned of a “secession” after the hospitality and retail sectors – which have a high proportion of female staff – were hammered by the closures.

But the Foundation found that women’s working hours fell by a third less than men’s. And while the employment rate for men fell 2.4 percent, it was only 0.8 percent lower for women.

And full-time female employment has actually increased, in part because of the concentration of women in the public sector.

But inequalities remain. Hannah Slaughter of the Resolution Foundation said: “The impact has been much more even than expected. But with the crisis still with us, the lasting impact on gender is still very uncertain. ‘