COVID-19 School Closures Were Associated With A Decline In Employment For Female Nurses With Young Children

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Labor Economics
• Sociology

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread school closures.
• Female healthcare professionals often bear greater childcare responsibilities.
• Disruptions to schooling can impact workforce participation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between school closures and labor supply among female nurses.
• To assess the impact of COVID-19 school closures on employment rates of female nurses with young children.

Main Methods:

• Combined Current Population Survey labor-force data with cell phone mobility data on school closures.
• Analyzed employment rate changes for female nurses with young children in counties with varying school closure rates.
• Compared employment rates before and after school closures (March-August 2020).

Main Results:

• Employment rate for female nurses with young children declined by 12.5 percentage points in areas with high school closure rates.
• No significant employment changes were observed for female nurses with only older children or for male nurses.
• The impact was concentrated among female nurses with young children affected by school closures.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 school closures disproportionately affected the labor supply of female nurses with young children.
• Policies addressing childcare needs are crucial during public health emergencies.
• Suggested strategies include on-site childcare, subsidies for childcare centers, or direct aid to healthcare workers for childcare.