As Julie Vogtman, senior director at the National Women’s Law Center, told Time, “Women still take on the lion’s share of caregiving responsibilities.” Without the option to work remotely or with flexible hours, women are often the first to scale back—or step out—of the workforce entirely. The situation is exacerbated by a crumbling childcare infrastructure. Federal childcare subsidies ended in September 2024, leading many centers to shut down or raise tuition. Meanwhile, immigrant workers, who make up about 20% of childcare providers, have been hit by mass deportations and heightened immigration fears, further reducing availability and driving up costs. The result? For many families, maintaining two incomes is simply out of reach, and it is women who are most often pushed out of paid employment.