2 Post-lockdown labour market recovery has a male bias

In April 2020, 35% of men who were working in December 2019 lost their jobs. The corresponding proportion for women was twice that, at 70%. The CPHS tracks these individuals for another two periods, providing their employment situation as of August 2020 and December 2020. What fraction of workers who lost work during the lockdown were able to return to employment in the subsequent months of August and December?

There are four possible scenarios to consider. First, they may have returned to work in August, and continued in employment till the end of the year, in December 2020, showing a sustained recovery. Second, they may have returned to work in August only to lose employment by December, showing an unstable recovery. Or individuals may have remained out of work in August but found work by December, i.e. a delayed recovery. Finally, having lost work during the lockdown, an individual may continue to remain out of work in August and December, showing no recovery.

Overall, about 66% of workers who lost work during the lockdown were able to return to work in August, and continued to work in December.