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Show Women in the Labor Force 83 Woman power Reserve Women 14 years of age and over not in the labor force make up a womanpower reserve-a potential source of additional workers who might be needed in an expanding economy or in time of national emergency. Some of these 'are highly educated, and many have re ceived on-the-job training during previous work experience. Women not in the labor force numbered 36.4 million in 1963 and three-fourths of all persons who did not work or look for were over work in that year." A majority (73 percent) of women not in the labor force in 1963 gave home responsibilities as their reason for not working. Other reasons given by such women were going to school (14 percent) and illness or disability (6 percent) . Less than 2 percent did not work in 1963 because of inability to find work. The number of women who did not work in 1963 and the reasons they gave for not working were as follows: Women not in the labor force Number Total _ Household responsibilities _ Attending school; _ Illness -_ - - --- Could not find work _ All other reasons - _ Percent 36,430,000 100.0 26,427,000 5,205,000 2, 156, 000 72. 5 2,090,000 5.7 14. 3 552, 000 5.9 1.5 Of the 36.4 million women who did not work in 1963,22.8 million, or Their main reason for not 63 percent, were 20 to 64 years of age. working was home responsibilities. In contrast, 89 percent of the 5.6 million teenage girls who did not work gave going to school as working, while 14 percent of the 8.1 million women 65 years of age and over without work experience indicated their reason for not illness or disability as the reason for not working. A more practical estimate of the supply of women actually available for increasing the Nation's work force would exclude teenagers and young adults who are attending school, mothers of young children, and elderly women who may not be able to work because of illness or disability. Even if these groups are excluded, the number of women in the labor reserve exceeds that of men-making women the largest single source for labor force expansion .33 Special Labor Fnrce Report No. 48. Labor. . Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of |
