Women Waiting Tables Provide Most of Female Gains in Employment

Unemployment data appear to reflect big advances for women. The jobless rate in August for females 20 years and older was 6.3 percent, the lowest since December 2008, compared with 7.1 percent for men. As recently as January, the rate was 7.3 percent for both genders, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The downside is that the gains have been largely in lower-paying industries such as waitresses, in-home health care, food preparation and housekeeping. About 60 percent of the increase in employment for women from 2009 to 2012 was in jobs that pay less than $10.10 an hour, compared with 20 percent for men, according to a study by the National Women’s Law Center using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The numbers expose a soft spot in an economic recovery that has reduced the overall unemployment rate to 7.3 percent from 10 percent in October 2009. Quality of jobs is an increasing concern for U.S. policy makers and economists since it affects the level of incomes and wage disparities. Read more >>

Ten Times More Waiter And Bartender Than Manufacturing Jobs Added In 2013

This data really doesn't need much explanation. Here are the facts: so far in 2013:

* There have been 246.5K Waiter and Bartender (Food Service and Drinking Places) jobs added

* There have been 24.0K Manufacturing jobs added

The ratio of waiters and bartenders to manufacturing jobs: 10 to 1.

Sadly, most of those now record waiters and bartenders are just sitting there, twiddling their thumbs. Recall: "According to this week's very weak retail sales report, Food-service sales fell 1.2% in June, the largest decline since February 2008 and the year over year change in "eating out" rose by just 3.1% - the lowest annual increase since June 2010. But at least all those empty restaurant seats have a record number of waiters catering to the non-existent clients which on the surface should mean the speediest service in history." Read more >>