Full text of Facts on Women Workers : June-July 1948

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I

WOMEN'S BUREAU
U.S. DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR

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JUNE-JULY 1948

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN IN JUNE

The number of women in the civilian labor force in June 1948 exceeded
that in any month since August 1945, according to Census reports. It
exceeded the number reported in March 1940 by nearly 5 million, a number
only slightly smaller than the increase in the woman population 14 years
old and over. Women in nonagricultural employment numbered 15,737,000 in
June, the highest since September 1945•

Number of
women
Population (14 years
and over)
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Armed forces
Nonworkers

55,071,000
18,685,000
17,876,000
809,000
16,000
36,370,000

June 1948
Change since
Total persons
May 1948
Number Percent women

+
50,OCX)
+ 1,561,000
+ 1,274,000
+
287,000
1,000
- 1,509,000

108,346,000
63,479,000
61,296,000
2,184,000
1,261,000
43,605,000

50.8
29.4
29 i2
37.0
1.3
83.4

(U. S. Bureau of the Census)

The June total of more than 6lJ mil 11 on persons employed is a new alltime peak. Jobs in many industrial and commercial fields were far more
numerous than a year ago, and usual seasonal demands for summer workers
will expand employment statistics in July. The textile and apparel
industries showed higher levels of employment in June than at this time
last year (the usual seasonal decline in textiles did not occur). Although
women’s unemployn nt rose between May and June, as it usually does, it was
considerably under that of a year ago.

COST OF LIVING

The February 1948 estimate for the District of Columbia’s cost of living
budget for an employed woman without dependents is $1,421.11 per year for
the commodities and services; $1,793*16 for the total budget, including
taxes and savings. The estimate for conmodities and services represents
an increase of 4*2 percent over the June 1947 estimate for these items.
However, the estimate for the total cost rose only 0.9 percent in the
eight-month period largely because of the reduced Federal income tax
rate for 1948.




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FEDERAL JURY BILLS
In the recent session of Congress which adjourned in June, S.18, pro­
posing uniform juror qualifications, did not come to a vote. H.R.3214,
proposing adoption of a revised judicial code, became Public Law No. 773.
Chapter 121 of this code makes extensive changes in the present law
relating to Federal juries. Federal courts now have their own standards
for choosing, exempting and excluding or excusing jurors, except that
a juror who is incompetent for grand or petit jury service by the law
of the State where the Federal court is held, is incompetent also for
Federal jury duty in that State. Thus, women, presumably, are
ineligible for Federal jury duty in the 13 States where they are now
incompetent for State jury duty.

MINIMUM WAGE

Arizona revised its minimum-wage order covering the laundry and dry
cleaning industries, effective July 12, 1943. The revised order
Establishes hourly rates of 52 cents for laundries, 60 cents for dry
cleaning; part-time rates (work less than 36 hours per week) 57 cents
for laundries, 66 cents for dry cleaning. Regular employees are guaranteed
36 hours per week.
Massachusetts amended its minimum-wage law to broaden the definition of
the term "occupation" by including businesses or industries operated for
profit or otherwise, and also “any other class of work." The amendment
added to the definition’s exceptions “work by persons being rehabilitated
or trained under rehabilitation or training programs in charitable,
educational, or religious institutions or work by members of religious
orders." (Act declared an emergency measure and became effective on
approval May 24, 1943.)
Massachusetts’ revised mercantile minimum-wage order, effective July 1,
1948, sets $22.50 for a 36-44 hour workweek for experienced workers and
$20.50 for inexperienced. For a workweek of less than 36 hours, or more
than 44 hours, the "experienced" hourly rate is 55 cents, and the
"inexperienced," 50 cents. Persons employed in the home in mercantile
occupations must be paid no less than the minimum rate.

HOURS

Massachusetts amended the woman’s hour law to give the labor commissioner
authority, in establishments in which the employee’s principal source of
income is in tips or gratuities, to permit the work period to fall
within a 12-hour over-all period, upon petition of at least 60 percent
of such employees. Previous requirement provided that split shifts
must, with certain seasonal exceptions, fall within a period of
10 consecutive hours.




INDIVIDUAL WORK HISTORY OF WOMEN
The proportion of all women in the population who have been in gainful
work at some time in their lives far exceeds the proportion who are in
the labor force at any one time. Census sampling now makes available
some measure of the former, not heretofore possible*
An August 1946 sample study indicates that 77 percent of all women
14 years of age and over (who were able to work) had worked at some
time in their lives.

Of the women 20-44 years of age, 86 percent had worked
at some time in their lives. Of those older (45 and
over) about 70 percent had worked at some time, and of
younger women (14 to 19) about 60 percent had worked.

WOMEN CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
, Women in Federal employment in the executive branch of the Government
(full time, in Continental United States) numbered 402,400 according to
< the latest monthly report of the Civil Service Commission (May 194S).
Women constituted at that time 25 percent of all such Federal employees,
and 45 percent (less than half) of those whose work was located within
[ the District of Columbia.
: The proportion of women among all such civilian Federal employees has
declined from 39 percent during the war to the present 25 percent. No
: current data exist as to the occupations of women in the Federal service.
Prewar data indicate that about 4 percent of the women in the Federal
service were in professional, scientific, or technical jobs.

PART-TIME WORK FOR WOMEN
At the June meeting of the Labor Advisory Committee of the Women’s
Bureau, the following motion was unanimously passed:
’’That the Labor Advisory Committee express its
interest in having the Federal Government take
favorable action toward the encouragement of
part-time employment of women in Federal service,
with a view to exploring the possibilities of
making such work feasible from the employer
point of view, equitable to the workers, and
increasing public understanding of the needs of
women involved. ”




ANNOUNCEMENT

With regret the Women* s Bureau announces the closing of
its field offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco, as of July 1, 1948.
The Bureau* s appropriation was cut in the amount of
$61,800 which was the sum set up for their maintenance.
The action of Congress did not in any way curtail the
statutory responsibilities of the Bureau - "to formulate
standards and policies which shall promote the welfare
of wage earning women, improve their working conditions,
increase their efficiency, and advance their opportunities
for profitable employment," but changed one of the methods
of fulfilling these responsibilities.
While the Bureau will not be able to give quite the same
kind of ”on the spot" services to those employers, women* s
organizations, unions, civic groups, and others interested
in the problems and opportunities of women workers that was
possible through the field representatives, the Bureau will
respond promptly to requests for information and help as it
has in the past.

HAVE
YOU

READ

The Outlook for Women in Mathematics and Statistics, Bul.223-4) Women’s Bureau
The Outlook for Women in Physics and Astronomy, Bui. 223-6
) U. S. Department
of Labor
Women in Policy-Making Posts)
INDEPENDENT WOMAN,
More People Need Jobs Longer)
May 1948
Security in Family Life - Threats and Opportunities. THE SURVEY midmonthly,
June 1948. (A report on the National Conference on Family Life.)
•
A Job for Every Woman. Louise M. Neuschutz. H. S. Wilson Co. New York. $3.00
(The book "is designed to meet the needs of women who are interested
in self-created jobs" - nursery schools, services for the sick, smallscale catering, nee die craft, handicrafts, rental exchanges and
services, commercial services, gardening, specialty laundry work, etc.)