Initial Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Employment and Hours of Self-Employed Coupled and Single Workers by Gender and Parental Status
46 Pages Posted: 7 Jul 2020 Last revised: 19 May 2022
Abstract
This study examines the initial impact of COVID-19 shutdowns on the employment and hours of unincorporated self-employed workers using data from the Current Population Survey. Although the shutdowns decreased employment and hours for all groups, differential effects by gender, couple status, and parental status exist. Coupled women were less likely to be working than coupled men, while single women were more likely to be working than single men. However, fathers of school-age children who remained employed were working reduced hours compared to men without children. Remote work mitigated some of the negative effects on employment and hours.
Keywords: working from home, remote work, gender, entrepreneurship, self-employment, coronovirus, COVID-19, labor supply, child care
JEL Classification: D1, J1, J16, J2, J23
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation