Women drive August hiring gains but labor force gap persists

Women made up 98% of the 162,000 U.S. workers added to payrolls in August, according to analysis from The Economic Security Project, based on monthly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hiring gains in health care and education — industries dominated by women employees — may have contributed to the increase, as reported by CNBC. Overall, the report indicates a stable labor marker, with the unemployment rate staying steady at 4.1%. While the rise in women hires in August reversed the previous month’s losses, 633,000 fewer women aged 20 and over currently participate in the labor force than in January. In comparison, there are 68,000 fewer men in the labor force now than in January, according to the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC).