Gender Differences in Labor Market Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland security released guidelines on who would be an essential worker and required to keep going to work for the benefit of society. Two of the industries deemed essential were healthcare and education, both of which are heavily concentrated by female workers. In this study, I use Current Population Survey data spanning November 2019 to December 2021 to test for gender differences in earnings among those working in the healthcare and education occupations during the pandemic. I estimate a regression model which includes controls for time trends and other factors, allowing me to isolate the impact of the pandemic on the gender difference in earnings. The pandemic has presented new challenges to these employees, especially those who must provide childcare. The goal of this analysis is to see how the pandemic has affected the gender wage gap in these occupations and determine what factors contribute to this gap