IMSS: Women’s Employment Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Levels
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IMSS: Women’s Employment Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Levels

Photo by:   Emmanuel Boldo
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Cinthya Alaniz Salazar By Cinthya Alaniz Salazar | Journalist & Industry Analyst - Mon, 10/25/2021 - 15:29

Women, who were disproportionality sidelined from the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, have made a strong comeback and now surpass employment figures recorded prior to the global health emergency, reports the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).

This update follows a May report by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) that had found that women’s workforce participation was still 7 percent below pre-pandemic levels, equivalent to the continued absence of 1.5 million jobs previously held by women. Now, at the end of September almost 8 million jobs were occupied by women, representing an additional take-over of 114,866 jobs since February 2020.

This impressive four month turn-around has not been uniform across the labor market. Of the nine economic activities, only the business services sector failed to recapture all of its former female labor force from February 2020. Within this sector however, women in the 30-year-old age bracket have outperformed their male counter parts, leading with a 99.4 percent sustained recovery rate. Men trailed behind as indicated by a 96.3 percent sustained recovery rate.

Meanwhile the other eight sectors: agriculture, commerce, construction, transport, communications, electricity, transformation and social services have fully reemployed women at positions generally linked to them. Collectively, these sectors account for 76 percent of female employment nationwide, of which all have been successfully recaptured by working women between the ages of 20 and 59.

At a national level, 23 states have reached pre-pandemic female employment levels, with five outliner states surpassing equilibrium. Baja California, Durango, Chihuahua, Tabasco and Aguascalientes are currently leading the country with female employment rates above 105 percent compared to February 2020.

IMSS also highlighted that women’s participation in the formal labor market has increased in recent years due in part to added protections established by the federal government, such as the Federal Labor Law (LFT) and NOM-23 that were drafted with to create more formal employment.   

Overall, this data is consistent with Mexico’s economic recovery performance, which has repeatedly surpassed international organization’s estimates from the IMF and the World Bank. Furthermore, women can expect to see added employment opportunities especially in tourist centers now that the US has officially agreed to open its national borders with Mexico as of November 8.  

Photo by:   Emmanuel Boldo

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