The number of women considering leaving their jobs or reducing their hours has grown since the pandemic. | Photo by CIPHR Connect via Wikimedia Commons.
What you probably already know: Between January and July, 212,000 women at least 20 years old have exited the workforce. The latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that job growth has largely stagnated — just 73,000 were added in July — amid tariff and policy uncertainty. President Trump fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer after the numbers were revealed, vowing to replace her “with someone much more competent and qualified.” The Conference Board Employment Trends Index, a measure of U.S. employment, declined in July to its lowest point since October 2024, though it (and the current unemployment rate, a modest 4.2%) “has remained within a tight range for more than 12 months, supporting the narrative that the labor market remains stable overall,” said ETI economist Mitchell Barnes. In fact, 44,000 men have entered the workforce since January, according to federal data. But a far greater share of women have done the exact opposite.
Why? The exodus is driven in large part by working moms with young children. In June, the labor force participation rate of women ages 25 to 44 with a child under five hit 66.9%, down from 69.7% in January, said Misty L. Heggeness, a professor at the University of Kansas and author of the upcoming book SWIFTYNOMICS: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy. That marks the lowest share of working mothers in more than three years. The overall labor force participation rate in July (62.2%) dropped by half a percentage point year-over-year.
What it means: Employment rates among working mothers peaked at 70.3% in September 2024 before dropping off as flexible and remote work policies steadily disappeared, especially within major corporations and federal institutions. Among Fortune 500 firms, full-time office requirements increased from 13% at the end of 2024 to 24% by mid-2025. That loss of flexibility has forced many working mothers to make hard decisions and face the so-called “motherhood penalty” as childcare costs soar — but that’s not the only driver behind the exodus of women employees. Mid-career advancement opportunities are dwindling as federal agencies with majority women staff face the largest cuts, while gender parity in upper leadership remains decades away.
What happens next: Research shows that women stopped leaving the workforce amid the boom in remote and flexible job options during the pandemic. Other studies suggest women are more likely to take lower-paying jobs if they have more flexible schedules. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is considering strategies to encourage more Americans to get married and have children, while maternal mental health spirals. The bottom line is that an increasing number of women from all income brackets are considering leaving their jobs or reducing their hours, while many others with college degrees and ambitious career goals are rethinking their professional direction. An economy that values equal participation — as it should — must meet women where they are.
Tomorrow: Misty L. Heggeness offers deeper insights into the departure of women from the workforce.
— Story by Cambrie Juarez
[email protected]
