Inequities in Employment by Race, Ethnicity, and Sector During COVID-19

To determine whether people of Color experienced disparate levels of employment loss in frontline versus non-frontline occupations during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey data was analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Percent change in number employed was tabulated quarterly for groups by race and ethnicity (Black or African American, Asian American, or Hispanic or Latinx compared to White or non-Hispanic or Latinx) and frontline occupation status between January 1 and June 30, 2020. Two-tailed two-sample tests of proportions were used to compare groups statistically.

More dramatic declines in number employed occurred in the Black or African American, Asian American, and Hispanic or Latinx groups. When stratified by sector, greater declines were noted in the Hispanic or Latinx and Asian American frontline, and Black or African American non-frontline groups when compared to the referent groups.

Structural racism has further affected people of Color through differential employment loss during the onset of the pandemic, both overall and by sector. However, the effect of sector varies dramatically across racial and ethnic groups.

Because employment is an important social determinant of health and a potential risk factor for contracting COVID-19, these trends may provide important context for the prioritization of PPE and immunizations, as well as the provision of stable health insurance and income support for vulnerable workers.