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Gender Inequality in the Labor Market: Continuing Progress?

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  • Blau, Francine D.

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

This article examines the trends in women's economic outcomes in the United States focusing primarily on labor force participation, occupational attainment, and the gender wage gap. The author first highlights considerable progress on all dimensions prior to the 1990s followed by a slowing or stalling of gains thereafter, with a plateauing of female labor force participation trends and a slowing of women's occupational and wage convergence with men. She considers the likelihood of a resumption of progress in narrowing gender gaps in these areas, concluding it is unlikely without policy intervention. She then considers some new policy initiatives addressing work-family issues and labor market discrimination that may hold potential for increasing female labor force participation and narrowing gender inequities in the labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Blau, Francine D., 2024. "Gender Inequality in the Labor Market: Continuing Progress?," IZA Discussion Papers 17558, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17558
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sharon Braun & Jonathan Bushnell & Zachary Cowell & David Dowling Samuel Goldstein & Andrew Johnson & George Miller & John M. Nunley & R. Alan Seals & Mingzhou Wang, 2026. "Hiring Discrimination and the Task Content of Jobs: Evidence from a Large-Scale R\'esum\'e Audit," Papers 2604.01933, arXiv.org.
    2. Holzer, Harry J., 2025. "Workforce Development in the US: Recent Trends and Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 18061, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. Jianing Dong, 2026. "From kindness to constraints: how spouses’ benevolent sexism impedes academic women in dual-career academic couples," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J48 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Particular Labor Markets; Public Policy
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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