From U.S. Census Bureau
Around 10 million U.S. mothers living with their own school-age children were not actively working in January—1.4 million more than during the same month last year, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.
The pandemic has had a devastating effect on employment overall but especially on mothers’ paid labor. The 10 million not working accounted for over one-third of all mothers living with school-age children in the United States, according to the Current Population Survey.
Last spring, between March and April, some 3.5 million mothers living with school-age children left active work — either shifting into paid or unpaid leave, losing their job, or exiting the labor market all together.
Some 45 percent of mothers of school-age children were not actively working last April.
The school year began in earnest months ago but deep into the academic year, school systems are still trying to figure out how and when to return to in-person classes.
Some have found ways to juggle work, child care and virtual schooling. By January 2021, more than 18.5 million mothers living with their own school-age children were actively working — still 1.6 million fewer than in January 2020.