“Demographics also play an important role," said Paul Fronstin, director of EBRI’s health research and education program. "Workers ages 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 bore the brunt of ESI-covered job losses, in large part because workers in these age groups were the most likely to be covering spouses and other dependents.
"The adverse effects of the pandemic recession also fell disproportionately on women," Fronstin said. "Although women made up 47% of pre-pandemic employment, they accounted for 55% job losses.”