SIPP_AttachmentH_EmploymentandLaborForce_Brochure_090121

Why Measure
Employment and
the Labor Force?

Employment
and Labor Force

Since America’s founding, the labor force
has been fundamental to our country’s
development and success. Therefore, it is
impossible to measure the true well-being of
the country without measuring all aspects of
the labor force and employment.

Survey of Income and Program Participation

In order for the country to know what is
needed—how folks are doing and where they
need help—we must conduct surveys such as
the SIPP to produce that information.
Because our country is so populous (over
300 million people), we can only survey a
scientific sample of the whole population.
Thus, your answers to this survey represent
thousands of Americans!
Americans work hard every day, through
triumphs and struggles. By studying both
our successes and setbacks, we can help our
nation make informed decisions. By law, all
personal information collected for this study
is kept strictly confidential.
Thank you for participating in this survey,
and for helping to represent our nation’s
most important asset…

People Just Like You.

How the Census Bureau
protects your family’s
information.
The U.S. Census Bureau is required by federal
law to protect the information you provide.
All personally identifiable information about
your household is removed during processing,
so that the information you provide can be
used to inform policies and programs without
compromising your right to privacy.

Mission and Purpose
Data from the Survey of Income and Program
Participation (SIPP) are used to evaluate:

• Changes in income.
• Movement into and out of government
assistance programs.

• Changes in family composition and social

conditions for individuals and households.

• Changes in health, health insurance

coverage, and access to health care for
people and families.

For more information, visit the SIPP website at
.

Issued September 2020
Connect with us
@uscensusbureau

Working Mothers

Employment

Unemployment

• In 2016, 70 percent of men and 60

• In 2016, women with children under the age

• Between 2013 and 2016, 30 percent of

• Most U.S. workers (89 percent) held one

• About 40 percent of women with children

• Unemployment lasted for an average of

percent of women over the age of 14
were employed.
job at a time. The remaining 11 percent
simultaneously held at least two jobs.

of 18 accounted for 29 percent of all women
but 36 percent of all employed women.
under the age of 18 were jobless for at least
1 week.

• Caretaking was the most common reason

for joblessness among women with children
under the age of 18.

Self-Employment

adults 15 years or older had at least one
instance of unemployment.
20 weeks.

• Among adults under the age of 35,
average unemployment duration is
shorter for females than males.

• Among U.S. workers in 2016, 14 percent of
men and 10 percent of women were
self-employed.

In Percent, Reason for Joblessness by
Age of Children: 2016

• Individuals with a professional degree had

(Respondents ages 15+ jobless for at least a week)

the highest rates of self-employment.

Pregnancy

Caretaking

In Percent, Self-Employment Rates by
Educational Attainment in 2016
(Workers ages 15+)

Less than high school
graduate

Unable to find work
or on layoff

13
10

8

46

10.5

Some college

10.6

Retired, going to
school, or other

61

19
21

25
22

64

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Survey of Income and
Program Participation.

Bachelor's degree

13.6

Master's degree

13.7

Professional school
degree

In Weeks, Average Duration of
Unemployment by Age and Sex
in 2013-2016
(Respondents ages 15+ unemployed
for at least a week)

12
16
11

11.0

High school graduate

Doctoral degree

Injury, health condition,
or disability

1
1

All respondents
Women with
children ages 6
to 17 only
Women with at
least one child
under age 6

11.0 22

65+
years

21
19

50-64
years

17
19

35-49
years

29.0
18.4

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Survey of Income and
Program Participation.

Female
Male

20-34
years
19 years and
under

16
14
17
16
20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Survey of Income and
Program.