The Return to Office Work Deepens the Wage Gap Between Women and Men in the United States

Recent data published by the Wall Street Journal shows that the wage gap between women and men in the United States has widened to 81 cents for every dollar earned by men, the largest disparity since 2016.

Economists believe that this decline is linked to companies returning to traditional office work patterns after years of hybrid work during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reinforced structural inequalities in the labor market.

Return to the Offices.. Lost Flexibility and Decline in Promotions

According to the newspaper, mandatory return-to-office policies have led many women to refuse promotions, leave their jobs, or accept lower salaries in exchange for maintaining flexibility at work.

Francesca Blau, an economist at Cornell University, states that “the return to the office has revealed the persistence of social norms that place the burdens of home and childcare disproportionately on women, limiting their professional advancement opportunities.”

Jean Farble, an accountant from St. Louis, shared her experience, saying she had to resign after the option for part-time remote work ended following the birth of her second child, adding: “I cried every morning on my way to work because I was completely exhausted.” She noted that she took a new remote job but lost 25% of her salary to maintain time with her children.

Decline in Women's Labor Market Participation

The Wall Street Journal noted that the participation rate of women aged 25 to 54 in the labor market has declined this year, while the rate for men has increased.
A study by KPMG showed that the participation rate of women with college degrees who have children under five has decreased by 2.3 percentage points since the beginning of 2023.

In contrast, employment of women without children and those without college degrees increased by about one percentage point, reflecting rising childcare costs and the difficulty of balancing work and family.

Personal Experiences Reflecting the Phenomenon

Gabriela Romeo, a university administrator in Miami, says that hybrid work after the pandemic made her feel like she “could do everything,” but after the full return to the office in August, she had to bear additional costs for care and commuting.
Christina Hermeniano, a tech worker in Toronto dealing with American companies, chose a lower-paying job that allows for fully remote work.