Working mothers, whose return helped power the post-pandemic labor market, are leaving the workforce in striking numbers this year, The Washington Post writes.
The share of mothers aged 25-44 with young children has dropped nearly three percentage points since January, hitting its lowest level in more than three years, according to University of Kansas economist Misty Heggeness.
Economists and women themselves cite converging pressures: waning remote-work flexibility, federal layoffs, discarded diversity policies, and shifting cultural attitudes that celebrate traditional gender roles. Black women and younger mothers have seen particularly sharp declines.
Some women say they’re leaving reluctantly, after exhausting job searches or facing rising child-care costs; others embrace the shift as a personal choice. But researchers warn the exodus could have long-term effects, from reduced lifetime earnings to stalled career advancement.
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