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Executive Momorandum

Why We DON'T Work

7/24/2008

Here's a truth about "executive moms," statistically supported by what you've told us: the vast majority of us work because we want to...but also because we have a financial imperative to do so. Thus, there has been something particularly jarring to the notion-a very popular notion in recent years-that women are "opting out" of the workforce in droves because we a) have the choice, and b) are less interested in our careers than being home...

A New Congressional Study released this week shows that women are leaving the workplace NOT by choice, but because we are being hit by a troubled economy just like men.

Why is this so important? Since the 1960s, women's presence in our nation's workforce has been rising. But in the past few years, the percentage has actually dropped, to the equivalent of about 4 million jobs lost to women since 2000. Until this study, the prevailing wisdom was a woman out-of-work was a woman out-of-work of her choosing- - not so for a man- a dangerous connotation in terms of how women IN the workforce are perceived in terms of commitment to our careers, and the financial impact for most should we lose them.

The Economy is "An Equal Opportunity Offender"

That's our perspective on these findings, as were quoted by ABC News (click the link below to read their piece). While women in manufacturing have been especially hard hit, the Congressional Study shows that this trend is across the board: white collar/blue collar; single/married; black/white; parents of toddlers/parents of teens.

The Implications for Executive Moms:

Nationally, women bring home on average about one- third of the family income. However, we know from our ongoing Executive Moms member study that:

• 63% of you are primary or equal breadwinners in your household
• 12% are actually the sole breadwinners
• Another 23% are still significant if lesser breadwinners

Thus, if the current economic downturn is gender- neutral, our society needs to regard the importance of work as gender-neutral as well...

Read ABC News' account of this study, with a quote from us

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