Examines impact of economic downturn on labor force participation of older women.

1. Julie
Graber
The
InsBtute
on
Women
insBtuteonwomen.org
OLDER
WOMEN
WORKERS
U.S.
–
OHIO
-­‐
COLUMBUS
MSA
Copyright © 2010, The Institute on Women

2. EMPLOYMENT PICTURE, WOMEN AGE 55 AND OLDER, COLUMBUS MSA
C23001. SEX BY AGE BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS FOR THE POPULATION 16 YEARS AND OVER Universe:
FEMALE POPULATION 16 YEARS AND OVER
Data Set: 2008 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates Combined Unemployment Rate 3.0%
Geography: Columbus, MSA Columbus MSA, 2008, 55 and over
55 to 64 years: 94,396 65 to 74 years: 54,954 75 years and over: 51,356
In labor force: 57,360 In labor force: 11,484 In labor force: 2,464
Employed 55,858 Employed 11,018 Employed 2,319
Unemployed 1,502 Unemployed 466 Unemployed 145
Not in labor force 37,036 Not in labor force 43,470 Not in labor force 48,892
Unemployment Rate 2.6% Unemployment Rate 4.1% Unemployment Rate 5.9%
Columbus MSA, but 2008 data – 2009 data will be released in phases during September.
Copyright © 2010, The Institute on Women

3. 2009
Columbus
Unemployment:
2009
Ohio
Unemployment:
Gender,
Marital
Status,
Race
Older
Workers
Labor
Labor
Force
Force
ParBcipaBon
Unemployment
ParBcipaBon
Unemployment
Rate
Rate
Rate
Rate
COLUMBUS
MSA
OHIO
Men
73.4%
11.9%
Women
65.0%
8.1%
Men
55
to
64
68.6%
7.2%
Men
65
and
older
20.1%
7.2%
Women
who
maintain
families
70.8%
9.5%
Women
55
to
64
61.2%
7.2%
African
American
Men
64.0%
21.0%
Women
65
and
older
13.1%
3.8%
African
American
Women
63.2%
14.7%
Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2009
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2009
http://www.bls.gov/opub/gp/laugp.htm
Copyright © 2010, The Institute on Women

4. D-16. Unemployment rates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
SECOND QUARTER COMPARISONS
Geography: United States
Black or
All White African-American Asian Hispanic or Latino
WOMEN 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010
55 years and over 5.9 6 5.8 5.8 5.4 7.3 5.7 7.4 9.9 9.5
55 to 64 years 5.9 6.2 5.8 6 5.9 6.8 6 7.3 9.8 10.3
65 years and
over 5.9 5.5 6 5.1 3.5 9.3 4.4 7.9 10.6 6.4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2009
http://www.bls.gov/opub/gp/laugp.htm
Second quarter unemployment comparisons:
§ For women 55 to 64 years, unemployment is up compared to 2009 within every demographic group
§ For women 65 years and over, unemployment has dropped for white women and Hispanic or Latino women, but increased
sharply for African American and Asian women
Copyright © 2010, The Institute on Women

5. U.S. Unemployment,
2008 vs. 2009 Annual Averages,
For Older Women
Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
Labor force status: Unemployment rate
Sex: Women
Years: 2008 to 2009
%
Women 2008 2009 Increase
60-64 years of age 3.4 6.1 79.4%
65-69 years of age 3.6 6.2 72.2%
70-74 years of age 4.7 5.8 23.4%
75 years of age and over 4.0 6.4 60.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey
Across the US, unemployment rates among older women workers increased significantly in
2009, from 23% to nearly 80%.
Copyright © 2010, The Institute on Women