Colorado Department of Labor and Employment sees low numbers for women in workforce following pandemic

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – During the pandemic, many women lost their jobs, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) is stepping up to help those on the search.

According to CDLE, female-dominated industries (ex. Retail, healthcare, education, personal care services, and certain parts of leisure and hospitality) suffered heavier losses during the pandemic.

“First of all women are the linchpin and most of their families,” says Kathy Ford, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. “When they closed schools also, somebody had to go home and take care of the children and that usually 90% of a time is going to be the woman that goes home to take care of the kids”.

The Labor market information office for CDLE says the industries listed above made up over two-thirds of the total jobs lost in March and April 2020.

National data says around 1.1 million women left the labor force during the pandemic, accounting for 63 percent of all jobs lost. The department of labor and employment says data shows it has taken longer for women’s participation in the labor force to recover. Leaders say in March 2022, the recovery rate in the labor force for both men and women is more than 98% compared to where it was pre-pandemic in February 2020.

As of 2021 in Colorado, CDLE says recovery in the employment-to-population ratio is lower for women of color. The information is as follows:

White females, 2021 EPOP as a ratio of 2019 = 95.1%

Hispanic females = 89.2%

Black females = 74.8%

As the pandemic is heading into a new direction, CDLE tells 11 News now is the time for both women and veterans to get back into the workforce.

“We want to make sure that we support women in getting back to what they want to do, whether it’s support for them at home, or support for them in the workplace,” says Ford.

CDLE is hosting a Women and Women Veterans Virtual Career Fair on May 10, 2022.

The career fair is virtual and those who attend will be able to connect with employers who are hiring. Attendees will also be able to learn more about Apprenticeship opportunities, Mental health and childcare resources, How changes in employment affect benefits like TANF and SNAP, VA disability claims, and Financial planning to name a few.

“The main thing that we’re doing is offering them support in the workplace. If there are tools that they need for employment, if there’s assistance that they might need. ”

The fair goes from 10 am until 3 pm Tuesday. You do need to sign up in order to participate in the career fair and can do so by clicking here.

A few of the companies who are participating include:

Amazon

Birdon

Colorado Department of Transportation

Denver Public Schools

Los Alamos National Labs

Pearl PIN Sourcing

RK Mechanical

Wilber-Ellis Company

For any other information regarding the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, click here.

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