Why are some men leaving the workforce?
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New York (CNN) --
A typical morning at the Schnitzlers' home begins with David and Allison feeding 17-month-old Winston.
Allison, 33, and David, 32, play with the baby as they both get ready for work.
Allison walks out the door to her family doctor's office and David, an insurance salesman, starts his day...as a stay-at-home dad.
"Taking care of Winston, taking care of the house, playing with him, all of that comes first," she told CNN.
Last year, the Schnitzlers decided that David would quit his high-paying job to stay home and take care of Winston while Allison pursued her career.
The fear that Winston was not vaccinated at daycare and the fact that both parents worked long hours led them to make that decision.
They both say they feel lucky to be able to live on Allison's salary.
"I was kind of at a turning point in my career, which made the decision that much harder at the time. Am I going to throw it all away to take care of a baby? Am I going to like taking care of a baby? ?" David says.
David Schnitzler with his 17-month-old son, Winston.
Credit: CNN
It turns out that he does, and says that the papers they have now work.
And that reflects the new trends that are developing for both men and women in the workforce.
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In recent months, more men ages 30 to 44 have dropped out of the workforce, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The activity rate for men in this age group is now lower than before the pandemic.
For example, in David's 30-34 age bracket, data from the Department of Labor shows that 90.2% of men were employed or looking for work in February 2020, just before the pandemic.
Last month, that figure was 89.8%.
What is the wage gap between men and women?
Although more men are leaving the workforce to care for their children after the pandemic, the number is still in the single digits, according to economist Richard V. Reeves.
"We've seen an increase in the number of men taking on these roles, but it's nowhere near enough to explain this decline," says Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
"It's a mystery to economists what exactly is going on with these men. Some of the leading theories are that they are retiring because of disability in many cases, mental health issues."
David Schnitzler says that people in his community still have a hard time understanding that he is the primary caregiver for his son.
"It doesn't matter if it's a man, a woman, whatever, each one has their place. [Allison] has a great capacity and passion for her work, and that is wonderful. I can, in my own way, help her be, I would like to say, better doctor," says Schnitzler.
What female recession?
At the peak of the pandemic, 22 million jobs were lost.
The total figure was skewed more towards women than men, as many women took on caregiving roles at home when daycare centers and schools closed during lockdowns.
Since then, men and women have recovered all the lost jobs.
And of the 263,000 jobs added to the US economy last month, 61.6% are held by women, according to the National Women's Law Center.
In recent months, more women between the ages of 30 and 44 have entered the labor market, and in a higher percentage than before the pandemic.
The US economy added 263,000 jobs in November, more than expected
"Fears of a 'female recession' were largely unfounded," Reeves said of the idea that most women would be negatively affected by pandemic-related job losses.
"Women are returning to the labor market, and we have actually seen a fairly large increase in the proportion of women in managerial and senior management positions."
Women are also filling jobs in sectors more commonly dominated by men, such as construction.
Ava Sedaghat entered the construction industry about two years ago as a project engineer in New York.
Ava Sedaghat, project engineer at Gilbane Building Company.
Credit: CNN
"I think it was very intimidating because the only thing I knew about the construction industry was that it was quite heavy and male dominated. But the more I started working in the industry and meeting more people, I think I quickly realized that in construction there is room for everyone," says Sedaghat.
Although women only represent 14.1% of the construction sector, it is the highest figure on record, according to data from the Department of Labor.
Sedaghat is currently working on the renovation of the Port Richmond Library on Staten Island.
She says that she works with women in her Gilbane Building Company office, but that she is the only woman on the project on the ground.
Back to work"
The pandemic has changed the way Americans want to work and what they are willing to do for work.
Working from home or virtual jobs are now more common than ever and are no longer associated with any negative stigma.
And gender roles in the workplace are slowly changing: More men are now needed in female-dominated sectors, such as nursing and teaching.
"We're going to have shortages in those sectors," Reeves says.
"So we also need more people working in those sectors. And there aren't enough women to solve labor market challenges in all occupations," Reeves added.
Why women in management positions are more likely than ever to resign
Early next year, the Schnitzlers will welcome a new baby, another boy.
The couple plans to maintain their current family roles, but David does not consider himself permanently retired from the labor market.
"I'm not going to say I'm out of the workforce, 100%, you know, retired," he said.
"But for now, we want to give our second child the same thing we gave our first, and that is a father capable of giving them 100%."
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