Exploring the Labor Market Implications of the Pandemic for Women

Abstract The labour market has been profoundly impacted by the pandemic. Efforts to preserve employment during lockdowns have led to a significant shift toward remote work across various sectors, intensifying challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities. Our paper investigates how women were affected by the pandemic in terms of work and family. We rely on data from the Eurobarometer ‘Women in times of COVID-19’ to assess the experiences of women aged 15 and above in the 27 Member States of the European Union. A logistic regression-based approach is employed to evaluate which women were most impacted by the pandemic in terms of labour market participation and income reductions. The results revealed that women in rural areas or those being self-employed were more likely to be vulnerable. Furthermore, women caring for children under 15 encountered substantial difficulties in the labour market. Income reduction and decreased labour market participation were also challenging for women who experienced a negative impact on their mental health due to government measures during the pandemic or those who became more financially dependent on partners or family members.