Minority women make progress in workforce

Crisis, The, Sep/Oct 2003

Employment

The number of minority women in the private sector has increased dramatically in the past decade, according to a study by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The study, "Women of Color: Their Employment in the Private Sector," examined the employment of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American women. It found that women from all the groups made gains in employment. African American women continued to have the highest rate of employment, though they made the smallest gains in terms of total employment and high-level positions. Hispanic women made the biggest improvement overall. The growth rate of Hispanic women in the workforce increased more than 100 percent during the 10-year period. Asian women had the biggest increase, 135 percent, in attaining high-level positions, more than double the number 10 years ago. Native American women also made increases, with the number of officials and managers doubling over the past decade. The report was based on data from private-sector employers with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors with at least 50 employees and contracts of at least $50,000.