December Jobs Report: Women Account for All Monthly Labor Force Losses
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In its analysis of monthly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) jobs report, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) found that 81,000 people aged 20 and over left the labor force in December meaning they are now neither working nor looking for work. These losses were all among women: 91,000 women aged 20 and over left the labor force last month while 10,000 men aged 20 and over joined the labor force last month.
Over 2025, among those 20 and over, women’s labor force size increased by just 184,000 while men’s increased by 572,000. This means men joined the labor force at three times the rate of women last year, and women’s gains in 2025 are but a fraction of the gains women have made in previous years.
In addition, the unemployment rate for Black women continues to climb: their unemployment rate increased from 7.1% in November to 7.3% in December 2025. The unemployment rate for Latinas aged 20 and over also increased slightly from 4.4% in November to 4.5% in December.
“The Trump administration spent 2025 undermining workplace protections and weakening caregiving support that helps women enter and remain in the labor force. It is clear that this administration doesn’t value women’s work or believe that a woman’s place is at work,” said Jasmine Tucker, vice president for research at NWLC.
Please let me know if you’d like to speak to an expert on the impact that these losses have on women and their families, or receive additional topline data related to unemployment and industry changes, including by gender and race.
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