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According to the Labor Department's latest report, 865,000 women left the workforce in September alone. With consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Cofounder of Lean In Sheryl Sandberg released this year's Women in the Workplace report. The report cites this exodus threatens to erase all the gains women have made in management and senior leadership roles. It also marks the first time in six years of the annual report that researchers found evidence of women intending to leave their jobs at higher rates than men.
But when one digs deeper into the Labor Department's data on women's employment, it uncovers a more problematic issue. Of all the industries reported, the largest decline of female employment lies in the government industry. The industry experienced a 1.2% employment decline from August to September 2020 and a 4.3% decline since September 2019. The government industry includes critical public sectors like law enforcement, public education, health care, and elected officials.
The Importance Of Women In Law Enforcement
The trend toward fewer police officers per capita has been steady for 20 years. Women constitute less than 13% of total officers and a much smaller proportion of leadership positions. In 2000 there was a surge of black female police officers, transcending form being activists and leaders in the black community and working to alter an organization often viewed as oppressive. Today, as that number continues to decline, it will more than likely affect the national issues of racial injustice and civil unrest.
The Importance Of Women In Public Education And Health Care
76% of public school teachers are female, according to the Institute of Education Sciences, and women are still pursuing teaching at far greater rates than men. As of last August, the U.S. Census Bureau reported women account for three-quarters of full-time, year-round health care workers. Both roles require a great deal of care and empathy; in affective (or emotional) empathy, females, compared to men, show higher emotional responsivity. When we lose empathetic teachers in the middle of a pandemic, our children miss out on an enriched learning environment when empathy is of the utmost importance to our society.
The Importance Of Women As Elected Officials
Research shows that childcare obligations are among the most significant factors women consider when deciding whether to run for office. Moms face increased scrutiny when running for office and often feel the need to hide their parenthood. Yet research shows moms in Congress introduce five more bills over their tenure than their peers. They are also more likely to introduce legislation prioritizing the issues that matter most to families, such as healthcare, childcare, education, paid family leave, and affordable housing for families.
Many believe corporate America will suffer due to women leaving the workplace when, in reality, our nation will feel the greatest impact. Our country will notice the absence of women in these critical sectors working to make a positive difference in others' lives.
