In a public presentation on 30 April 2022, economic expert Michèle Tertilt reported on the impact of the Corona pandemic on the labor market behavior of women and men and the resulting long-term consequences as part of the Foreign Affairs session.
Around the world, women and especially mothers have reduced their working hours more than men. This is in clear contrast to previous economic crises, in which men were more affected. Tertilt first examined the reasons for this difference, showing that both school closures and the type of jobs affected play a role.
The presentation also focused on the potential implications for the future of the workforce. Women who lost their jobs or reduced their working hours during the crisis thus also miss out on career opportunities, which first leads to an increase in the gender pay gap. On the other hand, the pandemic has made working from home more hopeful and may have also changed social norms toward more equality in childcare, which could lead to a long-term increase in the labor supply of mothers.
Feel free to view the full presentation by Prof. Michèle Tertilt, Ph.D. here (presentation is hold in German).