The number of women in the workplace is dropping. And so is their pay.

That’s the word from a recent study by the Congressional Joint Economic Committee. According to the study:

• The percentage of women with full-time jobs dropped by 2.2% since eight years ago, and
• Average pay for women dropped from $15.04 per hour in 2004 to $14.84 today.

According to the committee, bias isn’t to blame — the economy is. Woman are being affected by the same economic difficulties as everyone in the workplace, a committee spokesperson said.

Said Carolyn B. Maloney, vice chair of the JEC: “Women have been striving for equality with men in jobs and wages; unfortunately what we’ve achieved is equality in losing jobs during recessions.”

Tags: decline in employment, economy, gender bias, women at work