Jacobsen on the ‘Mancession’ within the Recession

David PesciSeptember 10, 20101min
Jacobsen says gender disparity suffuses the job market, but unemployment is affecting more men

Commenting in a piece for The National Journal, Joyce Jacobsen, Andrews Professor of Economics and Co-Chair, College of Social Studies, discusses how the recent recession has resulted in more men losing their jobs as a percentage of the labor force than women. The so-called ‘Mancession’ has occurred despite the fact that, before the economic downturn, men and women had nearly equal rates of unemployment (approximately 4.4%). But since then, in excess of 10% of men are now unemployed but women are at 7.7%.