1

The importance of economic decisions Marital quality, job satisfaction and

money matters are closely related In today’s families most are dual

income Thus time for togetherness, sharing,

play and other intimate family activities are limited

2

Women in the Workplace• 1 in 2 workers are women.• 4 in 5 mothers of school-age

children work for pay.• 2 in 5 working women are

managers or professionals.• 1 in 5 working women have

administrative support jobs.

3

Women in the Workplace• 1 in 2 people who work more than one

job are women.• 1 in 2 working women provide half or

more of their household income.• 7 in 10 married working mothers work

more than 40 hrs/week. • More than 58% of workers paid by temp

agencies are women.

4

Women in the Workplace• 72% of part-time workers are female.• 3 in 10 working women work evenings,

weekends, or some combination.• 3 women in 5 work at or below the

minimum wage.• Women’s presence in once male

dominated professions such as medicine, dentistry, and law increased significantly between 1990 and 2000.

5

Married Women in the Workplace

§ The inflationary pressures of the American economy and expectations of a rising standard of living combined to bring many women into the workforce.

6

Married Women in the Workplace

§ Since World War II, real wages for men and women have increased dramatically. (Real wages are earnings adjusted for inflation.)

§ But are the wages equal?

77

Sexism Female sexism- the entire range of

attitudes, beliefs, policies, and behaviors against women on the basis of their gender

88

Sexism and employment

In 2007- women earned .77 cents to a man’s dollar (U.S. Census Bureau)

Despite 3 decades of policy change, women and minorities are still blocked from senior management positions

9

99

Gender inequality in the work Gender inequality in the work placeplace

Women who work full-time Women who work full-time average only 67% of what men are average only 67% of what men are paidpaid

Not one of the CEO’s of the 350 Not one of the CEO’s of the 350 largest U.S. corporations is a largest U.S. corporations is a woman woman

10

Gender inequality in the work Gender inequality in the work placeplace

Lilly Ledbetter Act

11

Married Women in the Workplace

§ The number and kinds of jobs available to women have increased tremendously.

§ Declining birthrates have contributed to the increased numbers of women working outside the home.

§ Increasing education has contributed to women’s working outside the home.

12

Married Women in the Workplace

§ Attitudes about the role of the woman in the family have changed greatly during this century.

§ In the future, the lower birthrate will reduce the number of future workers available.

13

10 Fastest Growing Occupations, 1998-2008

Computer scientists 118Database

administrators77

Computer engineers 108Paralegals and legal assistants

62

Computer support specialists

102 Medical assistants 58

System analysts 94Personal care and

home health aides

58

Computer, mathematical, and operations research

93Social and human

services assistants

53

141414

Sexual harassment Sexual harassment

The most persistent and difficult The most persistent and difficult aspects of sexism aspects of sexism

15

Dual income What if someone loses their job?

Economic failure almost always leads to family problems and breakdown

Divorce, separation, and desertion are highest among the poor

1616

Sexual harassment

Includes continual or repeated verbal abuse of a sexual nature, including but not limited to graphic commentaries on the victims body, sexually suggestive objects or postures in the work place, sexually degrading words used to describe the victim or propositions of a sexual nature.

1717

Sexual harassment

Includes the threat or insinuation that lack of sexual submission will adversely affect the victim’s employment, wages, standing, or other conditions that affect the victims livelihood.

18

Different Work Patterns for Women

A. The woman works for a few years until she marries and has children, then settles into the homemaker job for the rest of her life.

This was the predominant pattern for Caucasian, middle-class women until World War II.

Although many women still follow this pattern, their proportion is declining.

19

Different Work Patterns for Women

B. Women follow the same career pattern as men; remain in the paid labor force continuously and full time, through the years between school and retirement.

women without children, and women in professional and managerial jobs.

20

Different Work Patterns for Women

C. A woman works until she has children, then stays home for a certain amount of time (perhaps 5 to 10 years), and returns to the labor force on a basis that will not conflict with her remaining family responsibilities.

21

Different Work Patterns for Women

D. The woman remains in the labor

force continuously, with short time-

outs to have children. She combines family duties equally

with work responsibilities. Second shift?

22

Lets compare attitudes about our money Page 369

23

Family Monetary Decisions

1. The husband can make all the decisions.

2. The wife can make all the decisions.

3. They can make all decisions jointly.

24

Family Monetary Decisions

4. One spouse can control the income, but give the other a household allowance.

5. Each spouse can have separate funds and share agreed-on financial obligations.

6. The spouses can have a joint bank account on which each can draw, as necessary.

25

Annual Household Expenditures

26

Steps in Budget Making1. Analyze past spending by keeping

records for a month or two. 2. Determine fixed expenses such as rent

and any other contractual payments that must be made.

3. Determine flexible expenses, such as food and clothing.

4. Balance your fixed plus flexible expenditures with your available income.

27

Avoid Common Consumer Trapspage 380-381

1. Bait and switch2. Low ball 3. High ball4. Telemarketing 5. Contest winner 6. Free goods7. Off-brand items

28

Avoid Common Consumer Traps

8. Hard sell 9. Home repairs 10. Magazines11. Credit repair12. Travel13. Advance-fee loans

29

Supermoms

• The working mother still does most of the housework.

• Although men are doing more, they still do not carry their fair share of household and child-care work when their wives work.

30

Childcare and Family Leave• Since 1975, the labor force

participation of mothers with children under 18 has grown from 47 to 72%.

• The Family and Medical Leave Act was passed in 1993 granting workers up to 12 weeks unpaid leave for family emergencies.

31

Child-care Arrangement for Preschool Children

Provider% of Children

in care

Relatives 41

Child-care centers 30

Family day care 17

Child goes to work with mom

6

In-home caregiver 5

Other arrangements 1

32

Relationship between Family and Work

• Many employers feel that women with children are not as likely to make the same commitments to their careers as men are.

33

Relationship between Family and Work

• Better leave policies, more flexible hours, job sharing, on-site childcare facilities, and the increased use of the home as a workplace are all ways to improve the relationship between family and work.

34

Characteristics of Career Workers

1. Long-term commitment, including

a period of formal training

2. Continuity (one moves to

increasingly higher levels, if

successful)

3. Mobility, to follow career demands