More women than ever have entered the American workforce.
Heavy demand for employees combined with more opportunities for remote work and a surge in female entrepreneurs are sending a flood of women into the labor market. Women now hold a record 79 million jobs, and the share of women in their prime working years who are employed or seeking work now stands at 77.9%, up from 75.8% five years ago.
But it’s not time for a victory lap just yet.
The same work-from-home opportunities that have enabled many moms in particular to enter or rejoin the workforce are also shackling them with fresh responsibilities. Many say they are effectively working two full-time jobs: managing their households and their careers.
Sarika Paralkar left her job in tech after giving birth to twin girls almost 10 years ago to focus on raising them. She recently started a full-time fellowship with her Oakland, Calif., city government focused on furthering local climate initiatives.