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This Mother's Day, She's Likely at Work
Women take on role of breadwinner as 4 of 5 lost jobs hit men
By Matt Cantor
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Posted May 10, 09 10:19 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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She's chef, cheerleader, and Florence Nightengale to scraped knees, but with the economy stinking like a previously enjoyed diaper, Mom is more and more often also a family's breadwinner, reports NPR. As male-dominated industries hemorrhage jobs, 14% of working moms are taking second jobs, a survey suggests. The recession has cost some 5.7 million jobs, four out of five of which were held by men. “Working moms want the gift of time this Mother's Day,” says a careers expert.
The unemployment rate among men last month was 9.4%, compared to 7.1% among women. But equal pay is still out of reach: Women are earning 77 cents for every male-earned dollar—and they get fewer benefits. “Nearly one-third” of working mothers “say that despite it being one of the toughest economies in the nation's history, they would even consider taking a pay cut to spend more time with their kids,” the expert notes.