COVID-19 caused 114 million people to lose their jobs in 2020 worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum.
In the U.S., it's affected some groups more than others.
According to a recent report by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, a Latino-focused think tank, Latinas have left the workforce at rates higher than any other demographic and have had some of the highest unemployment rates throughout the pandemic.
The report, published Wednesday, highlighted some stark realities facing the workforce post-pandemic. Before the pandemic, the number of Latinas in the U.S. labor force was projected to grow by 25.8%, as opposed to the growth of white women in the labor force, about 3.1%, from 2019-2029.
According to the study's results, from March to May 2020, 43.5%, or close to 700,000 Latinas in the leisure and hospitality industry lost their jobs.
In a year, from March 2020 to March 2021, the biggest drop in labor force size of any demographic group were Latinas, down by 2.74%.
One of the major factors in this drop was the shrinking of key industries that are primarily populated by Latinas, including hospitality. Another important aspect is the lack of family-care resources available to Latinas with children as schools and daycare centers closed.
The study highlighted that without major policy changes proposed, the country's economy will be impacted by that loss of labor.
Key elements of the Biden administration's proposed American Families Plan would provide much needed resources, such as childcare support and mandatory family leave, to help this demographic reenter the workforce, the study said.
