Women, Work, Aging and Financial Security

Lifetime Employment-Related Costs to Women of Providing Family Care

This report from the Urban Institute, commissioned by the Women’s Bureau, examines how the amount of time spent providing care to children and adults impacts women’s economic well-being, even long after the caregiving ends. Researchers found that the estimated employment-related costs for mothers providing unpaid care average $295,000 over a lifetime, based on the 2021 U.S. dollar value, adjusted for inflation. Unpaid family caregiving reduces a mother’s lifetime earnings by 15 percent, which also creates a reduction in retirement income.

• Explore the full report (PDF)
• Review the Executive Summary (PDF)
• Read the press release

New Blogs

Older women’s wealth: Still coming up short. Women who work full-time, year-round are paid 84 cents for every dollar men are paid, but women 50+ are paid 75 cents or less.

Older and wiser, but not richer: The gender pay gap for older workers. Our analysis finds vast gender and racial gaps in the wealth of people 50+, which has implications for women’s economic security in retirement.

Older Women and Unpaid Caregiving: Eldercare, Grandmothers Raising Their Grandkids, and More

Living on Less: Persistent Gender Disparities in Income Levels, Sources for Older Adults

Older women are an essential element of both paid and unpaid caregiving infrastructure in the U.S.

• Learn more about older women and unpaid caregiving in the U.S.
• 5 Facts about Older Women Providing Unpaid Care
• See how many grandmothers are raising their grandchildren, and how these numbers vary by state

This brief examines the income levels and sources for women aged 65 and older. It also considers differences by age, race/ethnicity and marital status, and discusses policy options for improving the retirement security of older women.

• Read the full report (PDF)
• Examine state-level differences in income sources in this data interactive

The Rise of Older Women Workers, 1980-2021

Women ages 55 and older now account for more than one-in-ten U.S. workers, thanks to dramatic changes in their labor force participation over the past 40 years.

• Read the full report (PDF)
• Learn more about the rise of older women workers nationally and at the state level with this data dashboard

The Menopause Transition and Work

The Women’s Bureau held a roundtable to hear perspectives from a variety of fields on the impact of the menopause transition on women workers and steps that policymakers and employers can take to help those experiencing menopause symptoms remain employed.

Let’s Talk About It: Menstruation and Menopause at Work

This Issue Brief details the impact of menstruation and menopause on workers and what types of policies and supports can be implemented to help improve employee experiences at work. Employers can take action with meaningful worker protections, flexibilities and accommodations to ensure workplaces are more inclusive of employees experiencing menstruation and the menopause transition; reduce the stigma surrounding these aspects of life; and improve all menstruators’ quality of life at work. Read the Let’s Talk About It: Menstruation and Menopause at Work Issue Brief.

Related from the Women’s Bureau

• Click on our Data and Statistics page to find age-specific analyses by gender of unemployment, earnings, part-time employment and more
• Read our fact sheet: Two Years into the Pandemic, Women Ages 65 and Older Had Yet to Recover Their COVID-Related Employment Losses

Other Resources

• Older Workers Study (DOL Chief Evaluation Office)
• Number of people 75 and older in the labor force is expected to grow 96.5 percent by 2030
• Age Discrimination (EEOC)
• Retirement Benefits (DOL Employee Benefits Security Administration)
• Senior Community Service Employment Program
• A Proclamation on Older Americans Month, 2023
• Selected Research & Analysis: Women (Social Security Administration)
• Women and retirement savings (DOL Employee Benefits Security Administration) (PDF)