Since the past recession started in December 2007, the share of older women in the U.S. Job Market has grown, while the percentage of every other category of U.S. worker—by gender and age—is flat or declined. The Wall Street Journal reported, “By 2024, nearly one in five women will be working past the age of 65.” The rub is when employers face a shortage of workers, wages rise, which should be happening at 5% unemployment. By holding onto their jobs, are older women holding wages down? Most women Baby Boomers I know stopped extraordinary careers in their late 30’s to raise families, but took on volunteer work that required learning new skillsets and technology. Seamlessly, they are all back in the workforce. Since statistically women live longer, a Career Pause may be a successful alternative to the current Mommy Track. Many may be skeptical, but the statistics for women in the Job Market indicate, “Age does not matter.”
February 24, 2016