From She-Cession to She-Covery?

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions imposed had a disproportionate effect on women, leading to an economic downturn referred to as the “she-cession”. This thesis investigates the transition from she-cession to she-covery, with a focus on how the ease of pandemic restrictions has influenced women’s participation in the labor force. By analyzing comprehensive US labor statistics through a threestep approach that includes regression and Difference-in-Difference-inDifferences analyses, this study identifies key mechanisms within the labor market that are hidden in aggregated data. Our findings indicate that although the lifting of restrictions resulted in a temporary boost in women’s labor force participation, the long-term impacts are still shaped by traditional gender roles. This paper highlights the critical need for policy development that considers gender norms when aiming to increase women’s labor force participation and foster a genuine “shecovery”.