U.S. has lost lead in women working

America remains the only advanced economy without government-mandated paid The United States used to maternity leave, and there be a leader in women work- is widespread agreement ing. In 1985, America was that United States also lacks second only to Sweden in affordable child and elder care the proportion of prime-age options, making it harder for women with jobs or actively women to work. seeking paid employment. In a particularly alarming Now, it has fallen to the back trend, the United States has of the pack, according to a actually lost ground in the past new report from the Interna- decade in the proportion of tional Monetary Fund. prime-age women working

America plateaued for while most other advanced women’s participation in economies have made gains, the workforce while other the IMF noted. advanced economies in “Across most advanced Europe, Australia, Canada economies, we see a very dra- and Japan caught up and matic increase in the number surged ahead in the past three of women who have joined decades. The IMF says Amerthe labor force. The U.S. is an ica isn’t doing enough to help important exception to this workingwomen, and it will trend. The share of primehurt the country’ s economy age women who are working in the coming years. or looking for work peaked

In 1985, 70 percent of U.S. around 2000 in the U.S. and women ages 25 to 54 were in has declined since then,” said the labor force (meaning they economist Petia Topalova, the had a job or were actively lead author of the IMF study searching). Today 74 percent “Labor Force Participation in of U.S. women in that key Advanced Economies: Dr ivage group known as“prime er sand Prospects .” age” are in the labor force, There’s a push around the a modest change compared world to increase women’s to what other nations have participation in paid work. experienced. It makes companies stron

Australia went from 57 perger by bringing in a more cent of prime-age women diverse perspective, and it working in 1985 to 76 per- makes women more self-suffi- cent now. Germany jumped cient financially, giving them from 59 percent to 83 percent more options for their lives. over that same time frame, Getting more women into and France, which was just the workforce is also good a nudge below the United for the economy. States in 1985 with 68 perThe United States and most cent of prime-age women other advanced nations are in its labor force, is now at aging societies. Baby boom- 83 percent - nearly 10 points ers are starting to retire, and better than America. that trend will intensify in

Sweden is still the world the coming years, meaning leader among advanced econ- there will be fewer and fewer omies with 88.5 percent of workers (and their tax dolprime-age women working. lars) supporting a growing

“The striking difference in population of retirees, a sitthe participation trend for U.S. uation that is likely to crimp women relative to the average growth. If nothing changes, European trend can be attribthe United Nations predicts uted to the more supportive the prime-age working pop- policy changes in Europe,” the ulation in 2050 in countries IMF report concluded. “Betlike the United States will supter access to childcare, longer port almost double the nummaternity leave and greater ber of elderly people as they flexibility in work arrange- do now. ments are associated with “In order to ensure you higher female labor force par- don’t have a decline in living ticipation.” standards, it is very important to boost participation in the labor force,” said Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti, the IMF’s deputy director of research.

One of the easiest ways to improve the scenario going forward is to get more women into the workforce. They are untapped potential in many countries. Consulting firm McKinsey said if women participated in the labor force at equal levels to men, it would boost global growth by 26 percent in 2025.

The IMF also points out that the United States is developing a male labor force participation problem, too. Among men ages 25 to 54, the United States now has the lowest labor force participation rate of any advanced economy - just 88.5 percen t.In1985,that rate was 94 percent, closer to the middle of the advanced economy pack.

The U.S. isn’t alone in seeing a decline of men in the workforce. In the past decade, nearly all advanced economies experienced a drop as prime age men stop working or even looking for jobs. But America had one of the sharpest declines of all its peer countries. The IMF called it “puzzling” that U.S. men would be so much worse off than European, Canadian or Australian males.

Certain sectors see the most workers who drop out: retail, manufacturing, mining and utilities. These sectors account for more than half of the drop outs, even though they employ less than a third of workers, and they are also them ost likely to be hard on the body, the IMF found.

The IMF advises that the U.S. spend more mo neyon retraining and aiding workers who need to transfer jobs. But even the IMF admit sitdoesn’t fully understand why the opioid crisis has taken hold in the United States and not elsewhere, another potential factor holding men back from work.

If the United States can’t reverse these trends - or let in more immigrants - it could become a crisis for the economy.