Jobs that Pay — A Statement by Legal Momentum President Irasema Garza on the Signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Non-traditional Jobs for Women

Shortly before President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,  his Administration released a revised estimate on how many jobs the legislation will likely create and where.  While most economists agree that the heavy investments in infrastructure and energy will boost men’s job creation, these projects also offer unique opportunities for low-income women and their families who make up the majority of the nation’s poor.

While women have not flocked to jobs in the typically “burly man” fields of construction and engineering in the past, economic realities may lead some women to consider non-traditional career paths. These jobs, with their solid wages and benefits, can mean the difference between continued poverty and a pathway to prosperity for low-income women and their families.  In utilizing the funds provided within the stimulus package, federal agencies and contractors taking tax-payer dollars should ensure that women have a fair shot at these jobs which offer economic security—jobs that actually pay. 

Women, by some analysis, currently comprise more that 47 percent of the workforce. But their high participation obscures their relative inequality as wage-earners.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly seven out of every 10 of the nation’s minimum- and below minimum-wage workers are women. Similarly, one-quarter of women work part-time, versus only 12 percent of men, making them less likely to have paid leave or benefits. Likewise, women still are paid, on average, only 77 cents on every dollar that is paid to a man.

The results of this imbalance are undeniable: the clear majority of poor Americans are women and children. In spite of their nearly equal participation with men, however, our own research shows that women are 40 percent more likely to be poor than men. Women account for a full 39 percent of those living in poverty and children, 35 percent. When we talk about the “working poor” in America we are really talking about working women and their families.   

Compared to most service-sector jobs which employ mostly women, traditionally male jobs – in construction, building, and other skilled trades – provide much higher salaries and benefits. Of the top 10 occupations for women, only two, nursing and teaching, have wages above men’s median weekly earnings. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with its outlays for education and healthcare, aims to protect some of these jobs. Unfortunately, that does little for low-income women and families who need opportunities and assistance the most.

On the other hand, the plan includes greater than $160 billion for infrastructure investments, improving energy efficiency, and for new scientific facilities and improving rural broadband networks. These vast investments offer a perfect opportunity for workforce development programs, community colleges, and vocational schools to engage women with training and job opportunities in non-traditional fields. In addition, adequate government monitoring of equal opportunity practices would combat the harassment and discrimination that women confront on many of these job sites and that discourages them from seeking these jobs.

A recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics demonstrated that, more than any other job sector, women working in construction have the greatest wage parity with their male counterparts. Given the economic stimulus’ emphasis on infrastructure development, future legislation should include a clear plan and stated goals to reach out to women and increase their participation in federally funded construction, engineering, energy and green projects where they can earn a strong wage and acquire skills that put long-term economic security within their reach.  

The economic stimulus legislation includes a number of provisions that focus on preserving many traditional women’s jobs during the crisis. Given gender disparities in wages and poverty rates, however, preserving the status quo will not work for low-income women. While women who have been standing at check-out counters, pulling double-shifts at restaurants and childcare facilities can take some solace in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, in order to have a real shot at recovery, they also need a Jobs That Pay Act.

Relevant Links: Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act,  Bureau of Labor Statistics, Legal Momentum on Women’s Inequality as Wage-earners, Legal Momentum on Women’s Poverty