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Women’s U.S. Labor Force Participation Drops for the First Time in 5 Months
A worker underneath a vehicle at an oil change shop in Indianapolis, Indiana on Feb. 2.
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
In an otherwise strong month for the U.S. job market, the labor force participation rate for female workers dropped for the first time in five months, especially for a key age group.
The rate for so-called prime age women, who are 25-54, declined to 75.8% in February, a Labor Department report showed Friday. Men of the same age saw their participation rate soar to 88.8%, getting closer to its pre-pandemic level.