Working women hurt by closed schools: Labor secretary
'Working women will have a harder time getting back to the workplace'
Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia on Thursday stressed the importance of schools reopening this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic — specifically for female workers.
During the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing Wednesday, which was focused on the Trump administration’s efforts to partner with governors to initiate plans to reopen schools in September, Scalia underscored the impact of school closures on the “national recovery.”
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Scalia noted that prior to the pandemic, one of the “great successes to the economy” was the employment rate for women, but now, amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country, the unemployment rate for women is higher than for men.
“The unemployment rate for women dropped nearly 3 percent in June,” Scalia said. “We have important work to do.”
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“Working women will have a harder time getting back to the workplace,” Scalia explained, citing studies that have shown that women in the household “bear the larger burden” in terms of child care and remote learning. “They continue to cite child care as a reason not to return to work.”
He added: “For them, reopening schools would be very important.”
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Scalia went on to note that school closures also have a negative impact on low-income families and minorities.
The Labor Department reported last week that employers added 4.8 million jobs in June — a record — and that the unemployment rate fell to 11.1 percent.
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Job losses were not proportional across the country, though. Some states have experienced a surge in layoffs — in May, 43 states set record jobless rate highs — while the losses have been more tempered in other states.
Scalia’s comments came as the Trump administration vowed to work hand-in-hand with states and governors to ensure a safe reopening for students, teachers, and parents come the fall.
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FOX Business’ Megan Henney contributed to this report.