The Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a report this week that examines the contributions Latina workers make to the U.S. economy, as well as the challenges they face.
Latinas represent more than 17 percent of all women in the labor force – the second-largest group of female workers in the U.S. labor market after white women. In 2021, the labor force participation rate of Hispanic women exceeded that of their white counterparts, the report stated.
However, Latinas experienced a disproportionate share of pandemic job losses, mainly due to the fact that Hispanic women predominantly work in industries that were hardest hit by the pandemic and recession. Specifically, the unemployment rate for Hispanic women peaked at 20.1 percent in April 2020 — higher than that of men or women in any other racial or ethnic group.
Further, Latinas are overrepresented in low-wage occupations and are more affected by the gender wage gap than any other major racial or ethnic group in the U.S. labor market, the report found: The typical Hispanic woman earns only 54 cents for every dollar earned by the typical white man. This wage gap remains consistent regardless of education.
“Latina workers are an integral part of this nation’s economic heart and soul and make up nearly one-fifth of women in the labor market,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), the chair of the JEC, said. “Latinas participate in the economy at higher rates than their white peers, yet ongoing racial discrimination and barriers in the labor market contribute to higher rates of economic insecurity and lower wages. For example, Hispanic women were among the hardest hit by pandemic job losses, and Latinas are more affected by the gender pay gap than any other major racial or ethnic group in the U.S. labor market. That the wage disparity holds true regardless of education makes clear that education alone cannot address the ways Latinas are held back in the economy.”
“We, in Congress, must do more to confront these economic and social injustices,” Beyer said.
The report found that legislation to promote inclusive growth, like the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, will help create jobs and bring down costs for Hispanic Americans. However, it says that more is needed from Congress to address the ongoing challenges facing Latina workers and the broader Hispanic-American community.
“This report shines a light on the disparities faced by Latina workers,” Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said. “They play a key role in the economic strength of the United States as the second-largest group of women workers in the country. Still, they face barriers like low wages and affordable childcare. We must continue to address these disparities with policies that promote equitable economic growth.”