Federal statistics are a bargain for taxpayers

The New Republic reports the 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act signed by President Obama. The act will provide additional financial support to agencies that generate demographic, economic, and social statistical data. The largest amount goes to the Census Bureau to ensure better data collection and timely products from the 2010 Census, the American Community Survey, and the Local Employment Dynamics Program.

Data from federal surveys is free and easy to use, so this is a win-win for the federal statistical agencies and public data users. Data geeks unite!

Preview the 2010 Census

Before you now it, the 2010 Census will be here and it is critical that you and your household fill it out. The 2010 Census is the one of the shortest forms in history, with only 10 questions. Most of the detailed social and economic data is now collected by the American Community Survey.

Beginning in March, the Census Bureau will deliver a short 10-question form to every household in America. Respondents should fill out the form to account for everyone living at his/her address as of April 1, 2010. The 2010 Census includes a prepaid envelope with the form, so respondents can mail it back as soon as possible.

You can check out the form here.

Father Involvement with Children Following Marital and Non-Marital Separations

A paper that I co-authored with Danielle Farrie and Jay Fagan has finally been published in the journal Fathering.

Abstract
Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, the present study examines levels of father involvement with children between married and cohabiting couples post-separation. Differences in father involvement were analyzed using three hypotheses and one research question- repartnering,traditional values, human capital, and relationship quality. Multiple regression analysis revealed that previously cohabitating fathers were more involved with children than previously married fathers, although not all measures of involvement were significantly related to prior marital status. Findings point to several policy implications for low income couples with children.

To cite:
Laughlin, L., Farrie, D., and Fagan, J. (2009). Father Involvement with Children Following Marital and Non-Marital Separations. Fathering, 73(3), 226-248.

The article can be found here.

Employment Opportunities in the New Economy for PhDs

I will be speaking about employment opportunities outside of academics at the upcoming Sociologists for Women in Society meeting in San Fransisco. I will talk about employment opportunities for sociologists in the government sector as well as the difference between a government and non-government job search. I will also discuss the role of "public" sociology and how to increase the presence of sociologists beyond the ivory tower. If you, or your students, will be at the SWS meeting or the Annual American Sociological Association meeting, I hope you will stop by.


A full description of the panel is below:
Saturday, August 8th
12:30pm

"Beyond the Tenure-Track: Employment Opportunities in the New Economy for PhDs"

Panelists: Lynda Laughlin, Eleanor Lyon, Christine Morton, and Margaret Weigers Vitullo

Co-sponsored by SWS Student Concerns and Career Development Committees.

A group of experts who have held a range of positions provide information and ideas about finding, attaining, and succeeding in a range of jobs including government positions, non-governmental organizations, consulting, and research organizations. Panelists also discuss how to develop professional networks outside academia, how to recognize and develop the skills that are in demand, and how to translate ourselves, skills, and interests to a wider marketplace.

Michele Bachmann is an Idiot

A co-worker recently brought to my attention what an idiot Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is when it comes to national data. Bachmann told a local news station in Minneapolis that she won't provide any information, beyond the number of individuals in her household, on the upcoming 2010 Census. The Representative cites concerns about the government collecting social and economic information. How nice of her to at least fill out how individuals live in her household, since it is the population count that determines the location of congressional districts. I guess she knows that her job depends on the size of her Congressional district.

Her statements regarding the Census and federal statistical data in general, are dissapointing especially because she is an elected official and should know better. Census data is a vital community tool and provides imporant social and economic information that can be used to improve schools, roads, and other services that individuals in congressional districts like Bachmann's use on daily. If she doen't want the governement to know how much her household makes, does that mean she refuses to file her taxes with the IRS? Compared to corporate American, the federal statistical surveys only provide basic information about the American public. The credit care industry knows more about the income and spending habits of the American public, as do grocery stores. One swipe of the bounus card tracks your spending habits and personal shopping desires. Which probably explains why I get a lot of spam regarding feline care and natural peanut butter.

The Census helps to document the pluse of America and provides vital information about the livliehood of American communities, data that is critical during these economic times. The information provided to the Census is highly protected and privacy is of the upmost concern of the Census and its employees. Bachmann's statements regarding the Decennial Census are insluting to the American people and the good people at the Census Bureau who take their jobs seriously.

Don't listen to Bachmann and fill out your Census come next April. Your community depends on it.

Maybe this is why pregnaut mothers are smug? They're older and know what they want.

New data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows the number of children born out of wedlock has risen sharply over the past decade. The trend is being driven primarily by women in their 20s and 30s. Single mothers, while still economically disadvantaged, defining who is a single mother is changing. During the 1980s and 1990s, the educational, employment, and occupational attainment of single mothers increased. Thus, women are becoming more financially independent, often putting off marriage, and having children later. Additionally, determining who is a single mother can be difficult. Some single mothers are cohabiting, some live with their parents or other relatives, and many nonresident fathers are very involved in parenting. Families are changing and so are single mama's.

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Number of Unwed Mothers Has Risen Sharply in U.S.
Women in 20s, 30s Are Driving Trend, Report Shows

By Rob Stein and Donna St. George
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, May 14, 2009

Katrina Stanfield, 25, is raising her 3-year-old daughter in Middletown, Md., without a husband because she and her boyfriend decided that marriage would not work for them.

Heidy Gonzalez, 21, is living with her two children and their father in Mount Rainier, but tying the knot is not a priority for them now.

Emily Smatchetti, 38, is a single mother of a toddler in Miami because she had not found the right man and worried that time was running out. So she found a sperm donor.

The mothers are part of a far-reaching social trend unfolding across the United States: The number of children being born out of wedlock has risen sharply in recent years, driven primarily by women in their 20s and 30s opting to have children without getting married. Nearly four out of every 10 births are now to unmarried women.

"It's been a huge increase -- a dramatic increase," said Stephanie J. Ventura of the National Center for Health Statistics, which documented the shift in detail yesterday for the first time, based on an analysis of birth certificates nationwide. "It's quite striking."

Although the report did not examine the reasons for the increase, Ventura and other experts cite a confluence of factors, including a lessening of the social stigma associated with unmarried motherhood, an increase in couples delaying or forgoing marriage, and growing numbers of financially independent women and older and single women deciding to have children on their own after delaying childbearing.

"I think this is the tipping point," said Rosanna Hertz, a professor of sociology and women's studies at Wellesley College. "This is becoming increasingly the norm. The old adage that 'first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage' just no longer holds true."

The trend has unfolded despite decades of political and social hand-wringing over the issue, such as Vice President Dan Quayle's attack on the unmarried television mother Murphy Brown, President Bill Clinton's revamp of welfare and President George W. Bush's focus on "family values." President Obama has said that one of his priorities is reducing abortions, in part by helping women who become pregnant and want to keep their children.

Some experts said the trend represents a positive change for many women, allowing them to avoid becoming social outcasts, being forced to give up their babies for adoption or having abortions, and letting them raise children in nontraditional families.

"Women can have children on their own, and it's not going to destroy your employment, and it's not going to mean that you'll be made a pariah by the community," Hertz said. "It's much more socially acceptable."

But others said the trend is disturbing because children who grow up without stable, two-parent families tend not to fare as well in many ways.

"I look at this and say, maybe this trend is what young adults want or stumble into, but it's not in the best interest of children," said Sarah Brown, chief executive of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

About 1.7 million babies were born to unmarried women in 2007, a 26 percent rise from 1.4 million in 2002 and more than double the number in 1980, according to the new report. Unmarried women accounted for 39.7 percent of all U.S. births in 2007 -- up from 34 percent in 2002 and more than double the percentage in 1980.

"If you see 10 babies in the room, four them were born to women who were not married," Ventura said.

Although experts have been concerned about a recent uptick in births to older teenagers after years of decline, that is not the driving force in the overall trend but more likely a reflection of it, Ventura said. Instead, much of the rise is due to significant increases in births among unmarried women in their 20s and 30s. Between 2002 and 2006, the rate at which unmarried women in that age group were having babies increased between 13 percent and 34 percent, the report found.

The rates increased for all races, but they remained highest and rose fastest for Hispanics and blacks. There were 106 births to every 1,000 unmarried Hispanic women in 2006, 72 per 1,000 blacks, 32 per 1,000 whites and 26 per 1,000 Asians, the report showed.

The percentage of babies born to unmarried women in the United States is starting to look more like that in many European countries, the data shows. For example, the proportion of babies born to unmarried women is about 66 percent in Iceland, 55 percent in Sweden, 50 percent in France and 44 percent in the United Kingdom.

In many of those countries, couples are living together instead of getting married, which is also the case in the United States. Previous research indicates that about 40 percent of births to unmarried women occur in households where couples are cohabitating.

Gonzalez, the mother who lives with her children's father in Mount Rainier, said marriage has not loomed as a necessity for them. "Time goes by and we think about other stuff -- and we think about rent," she said. This holds true, she said, for most of her friends. "Most of the people I know just live with their baby's father or boyfriend and don't get married," she said.

Other couples today feel less compelled to marry just because they are having a child.

"It seems to be more wrong to be in a marriage with someone who you don't love and consider to be your best friend than not to be in a marriage at all," said Barbara Katz Rothman, a professor of sociology at the City University of New York. "It's not that people care less about marriage. In some ways, it's because they care more."

Stanfield and her boyfriend tried living together after she got pregnant, but he moved out when it became clear to both of them that they were not compatible, she said.

"He's a good dad and a good person, but he's just not right for me," Stanfield said.

In New Carrollton, Natrice McKenzie, 25, a teller supervisor at a bank, said she did not set out to become a single mother but has no regrets.

"Getting married was something I had in mind, but that basically was not what happened," said McKenzie, pregnant with her third child. She said it can be difficult, and she knows she is far from unique. "Nowadays it's becoming more like, single moms are everywhere," she said.

Alana Hill, 33, sees family history as an important influence. A single mother in Silver Spring who works as a dancer and a dance teacher, Hill was raised by a single mother and was part of a large extended family in which most of the mothers were not married. Except for grandparents, "I didn't have a role model of a husband and a wife who were married for years," she said. Even when she was very young, her foremost wish, she said, was motherhood, not marriage. "I knew I wanted a child," she said.

Smatchetti, who works as a U.S. attorney in Miami, said she is glad that she had the option of using a sperm donor after a long-term relationship ended.

"I didn't want to pick the wrong person just to have kid, so I just decided to go ahead and do it and work on the relationship later," she said. "It's hard, but in a good way."

So what if you are going to be a mom....

Yeah, so you're going to have a baby. Well, here's a song for you.

I have a crush on an economist.

It's true, I have a undeniable crush on an economist. I usually find most economists undesriable because of their strict adherence to economic models that don't allow for irrational thoughts or behavior. But this economist is different. Oh Peter Orzsag, you had me at your first power-point slide at the recent National Academies meeting on the federal statistical system.

Orszag is the director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Basically, he's the budget guy for the entire federal government. He has also held positions with the Congressional Budget Office and the Brookings Institution.

Apparently, I am not alone. He's clearly a smart and accomplished individual and it's no surprise that he has developed a following. However, my crush on him is mostly academic. Dr. Orszag was invited to the National Academies meeting to discuss the importance of the national statistical system. He spoke of the important of having good data in order to make informed policy decisions. Programs that have measured outcomes should be evaluated and funded if they meet their stated goals. Whereas programs that don't have measurable outcomes should be cut (i.e. abstinence only programs). Yes, all fine and dandy, but Dr. Orszag had me at his mention of the importance of sociology. My most basic problem with economists is their reliance on equations that assume that individuals make rational decisions. Models of human action must also take into account sociological and psychological characteristics. While most of us would like to think we act rationally 100 percent of the time, it is highly unlikely we do. Our decisions regarding food, housing, education, employment, family, etc. often are the result of socioeconomic differences and personal desires. In his talk, Orszag highlighted how economics could learn a lot from the other social scientists. Decisions regarding health care, employment, child care, and education can not be made using simple economic models. They are issues that will require a holistic approach if we are going to truly make any kind of difference. My crush on Orszag aside, with the economy in crisis, it is reassuring that a well-rounded economist is over seeing the national budget.

Detroit: Rebuild, Restore, Reconsider!

I recently went to Detroit for the annual Population Association of America meeting. It was a great meeting. A number of informative presentations and I met a number of individuals that I hope to stay in touch with both professionally and personally. However, the most important part of the trip for me was Detroit. Detroit, at the most basic level, is hurting.  The downtown was virtual empty, even during the work week. Businesses, cab drivers and residents I that met were happy that our conference was in town because it meant at least some business.  I hope other professional associations will consider Detroit as a meeting destination. The city has so much to offer and if Detroit is to survive it will take the creative minds of Americans across the land. Quoting Sufjan Stevens, “Detroit lift your weary head. Rebuild, Restore, Reconsider!

Similar to other cities in the Rust Belt, Detroit has seen a decline in population. The city's population increased more than sixfold during the first half of the twentieth century, fed largely by an influx of Eastern European, Lebanese and Southern migrants to work in the burgeoning automobile industry. However, since 1950 the city has seen a major shift in its population to the suburbs. The city population dropped from its peak in 1950 with a population of 1.8 million to 916,952 in 2007.

My short visit to Detroit reminded me of my passion for sociology my goal with this blog as well as other blogs I write for (namely Greater Greater Washington). It’s one thing to teach in a classroom, to work with Census data on a daily basis, but a whole different thing to practice public sociology. So here I am to share with you my observations and thoughts about Detroit and my hope for it’s future.

I only had enough time to explore downtown Detroit. My fellow sociologist, Vincent Louis, and I rode the People Mover and explored the empty city streets. We got coffee at a great little coffee shop called Jazzy Café at 212 E. Grand River. The owner, Michael, made me a delicious vanilla latte and is a bit of a sociologist himself. We learned a lot about the troubles Detroit is facing. However, Michael was very optimistic about the future and believes with a little redirection, Detroit can recreate itself. While I didn’t get a chance to get into the more residential parts of Detroit, there blocks upon blocks of vacant homes across Detroit. The NYT recently ran a piece about the possibility of tearing down the vacant homes and returning the land to farming. I say why not go even further, and put solar panels on the land or wind turbines and sell the energy to the power grid. 

From there, we made a stop at very vibrant barber shop on Broadway so Vincent could get a haircut with a barber that Michael recommended, Tony T.  The place was buzzing with conversations about the days events. Vincent waited a least an hour for his cut, but it was well worth it! 

My visit to Detroit also involved a baseball game to see the Tigers, Greektown (highly recommend Astoria Bakery) and a fabulous bar called the Grand Trunk. The most memorable moment of the trip was when the bartender at Grand Trunk exclaimed, "I love my empty city!" on a Friday night to a nearly empty bar.  Oh, and yes I did make it to a couple of sessions at the PAA meeting, but Detroit is a temptress and I can't wait to go back!

Younger women saying yes to motherhood?

There has been a lot of press about the slight decline in the average age at which women are having their first baby. In 2006, the average age fell to 25.0 from 25.2 in 2005. The author of the article (see below) rightly points out that a one year decline does not represent a trend. It will be interesting to see what the new data shows and how the downturn in the economy may affect the choice to join the mommy club.

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No Waiting: Younger Women Are Saying Yes to Motherhood
By Sue Shellenbarer
Wall Street Journal

For nearly 40 years, women have been delaying childbirth longer and longer, partly to launch careers. Now, this trend may be ending.

For the first time since government records have been kept, the average age at which women have their first babies posted a decline -- according to newly released data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Mothers' mean age at their first childbirth fell to 25.0 years in 2006, the most recent figures available, from 25.2 in 2005. Women ages 20 to 24 led the shift, with a 5% increase in the rate of first births.

A one-year reversal doesn't make a trend, of course. But the study lends weight to anecdotal evidence that young women are tuning in more closely to their biological clocks. "It's the first time it's ever gone down, and certainly that's noteworthy," says Brady Hamilton, co-author of the study.

Other factors are at work too, including rising numbers of Hispanics, who tend to start families sooner, says Steven Martin, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Maryland. A 4% rise in the rate of first births to older teens, ages 15 to 19, is also playing a role. And the sheer size of the baby boomlet generation, now entering the child-bearing years, may be skewing new mothers' mean age lower.

But some experts also see a shift in attitudes. More young women today just assume they'll have both a career and a family, and on their own timetable, says Stephanie Coontz, director of research for the Council on Contemporary Families. Young women feel less compelled to spend a decade proving themselves on the job before kids, she says.

Sarah Distel, an at-home mother in Oxford, Ohio, and her husband, Christopher, a research technician, had their two children, now 1 and 3, in their mid-20s. Ms. Distel, a college graduate, sees her generation as unique. "We weren't fighting for careers like the older generation. It was something we take for granted," she says. After watching the struggles she has seen older moms face juggling established careers and child-care, Ms. Distel has decided to wait to launch her own planned career in library administration until her children are in school.

Candace Parker, the biggest star in women's basketball, shocked league officials and fans last month by announcing she was pregnant -- at the age of 22. If anyone had a career reason to defer child-bearing, Ms. Parker did; she was the 2008 league MVP and Rookie of the Year for the Los Angeles Sparks and had become the face of the sport in various marketing campaigns.

But after years spent striving to please others, says Ms. Parker, who is married to Sacramento Kings forward Shelden Williams, "this decision obviously was for myself and my husband and my family." Ms. Parker's parents were in their 30s when she was born, and "I kind of missed out" on shooting hoops with her dad and other shared play, she says. She wants her children to have the benefit of young parents.

Close bonds with their own grandparents are important to young women, too. Heather Allen of St. Cloud, Minn., an art teacher whose husband is still in college, had her first baby at 21. She wants her children, now 4 and 1, to know their great-grandmother, 76; she considers extended family "part of the village" it takes to raise a child.

It's unclear whether the country's current economic woes will affect the move toward younger child-bearing. Historically, recessions have reduced family size, but their impact on the age at which women start families is less clear. In any event, Dr. Martin says, "demographers will continue paying very close attention" to whether a cultural sea change is under way.

Write to Sue Shellenbarger at sue.shellenbarger@wsj.com

IPUMS Data Users on Facebook

IPUMS - one of the best sources on the internet to find US Census data going back to 1850's - now has a Facebook Page. Check it out, join the group, and share with others who are data geeks!

Access to Grocery Stores

Check out a recent post I did at Greater Greater Washington about access to grocery stores in DC.

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1598

Conscious and Unconscious Preferences

Project Implicit represents a collaborative research effort between researchers at Harvard University, the University of Virginia, and University of Washington.

At their website you can assess your conscious and unconscious preferences for over 90 different topics ranging from pets to political issues, ethnic groups to sports teams, and entertainers to styles of music.

I took a couple of surveys, and found it interesting and entertaining! Apparently, I would have a nurturing parenting style and have a gendered perception of math skills. Go figure!

Sociologist = Great job!

Wow, sociologist makes the top 10! Coming in at 8th. I'm just happy to be ahead of economists!

From the Wall Street Journal:

By SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN

Nineteen years ago, Jennifer Courter set out on a career path that has since provided her with a steady stream of lucrative, low-stress jobs. Now, her occupation -- mathematician -- has landed at the top spot on a new study ranking the best and worst jobs in the U.S.

Scott Brundage

"It's a lot more than just some boring subject that everybody has to take in school," says Ms. Courter, a research mathematician at mental images Inc., a maker of 3D-visualization software in San Francisco. "It's the science of problem-solving."

The study, to be released Tuesday from CareerCast.com, a new job site, evaluates 200 professions to determine the best and worst according to five criteria inherent to every job: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress. (CareerCast.com is published by Adicio Inc., in which Wall Street Journal owner News Corp. holds a minority stake.)

The findings were compiled by Les Krantz, author of "Jobs Rated Almanac," and are based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, as well as studies from trade associations and Mr. Krantz's own expertise.

According to the study, mathematicians fared best in part because they typically work in favorable conditions -- indoors and in places free of toxic fumes or noise -- unlike those toward the bottom of the list like sewage-plant operator, painter and bricklayer. They also aren't expected to do any heavy lifting, crawling or crouching -- attributes associated with occupations such as firefighter, auto mechanic and plumber.

The study also considers pay, which was determined by measuring each job's median income and growth potential. Mathematicians' annual income was pegged at $94,160, but Ms. Courter, 38, says her salary exceeds that amount.

Her job entails working as part of a virtual team that designs mathematically based computer programs, some of which have been used to make films such as "The Matrix" and "Speed Racer." She telecommutes from her home and rarely works overtime or feels stressed out. "Problem-solving involves a lot of thinking," says Ms. Courter. "I find that calming."

Other jobs at the top of the study's list include actuary, statistician, biologist, software engineer and computer-systems analyst, historian and sociologist.

The Best and Worst Jobs

Of 200 Jobs studied, these came out on top -- and at the bottom:

The Best	The Worst
1. Mathematician	200. Lumberjack
2. Actuary	199. Dairy Farmer
3. Statistician	198. Taxi Driver
4. Biologist	197. Seaman
5. Software Engineer	196. EMT
6. Computer Systems Analyst	195. Garbage Collector
7. Historian	194. Welder
8. Sociologist	193. Roustabout
9. Industrial Designer	192. Ironworker
10. Accountant	191. Construction Worker
11. Economist	190. Mail Carrier
12. Philosopher	189. Sheet Metal Worker
13. Physicist	188. Auto Mechanic
14. Parole Officer	187. Butcher
15. Meteorologist	186. Nuclear Decontamination Tech
16. Medical Laboratory Technician	185. Nurse (LN)
17. Paralegal Assistant	184.Painter
18. Computer Programmer	183. Child Care Worker
19. Motion Picture Editor	182. Firefighter
20. Astronomer	181. Brick Layer

More on the Methodology

• For methodology info and detailed job descriptions, go to http://careercast.com/jobs/content/JobsRated_Methodology
• See the complete list of job rankings
• Read about the last study of the best and worst jobs.

Mark Nord is a sociologist working for the Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service in Washington, D.C. He studies hunger in American households and writes research reports about his findings. "The best part of the job is the sense that I'm making some contribution to good policy making," he says. "The kind of stuff that I crank out gets picked up by advocacy organizations, media and policy officials."

The study estimates sociologists earn $63,195, though Mr. Nord, 62, says his income is about double that amount. He says he isn't surprised by the findings because his job generates little stress and he works a steady 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule. "It's all done at the computer at my desk," he says. "The main occupational hazard is carpal tunnel syndrome."

On the opposite end of the career spectrum are lumberjacks. The study shows these workers, also known as timber cutters and loggers, as having the worst occupation, because of the dangerous nature of their work, a poor employment outlook and low annual pay -- just $32,124.

New protective gear -- such as trouser covers made of fiber-reinforcement materials -- and an increased emphasis on safety have helped to reduce injuries among lumberjacks, says Paul Branch, who manages the timber department at Pike Lumber Co. in Akron, Ind. Still, accidents do occur from time to time, and some even result in death. "It's not a job everybody can do," says Mr. Branch.

But Eric Nellans, who has been cutting timber for the past 11 years for Pike Lumber, is passionate about his profession. "It's a very rewarding job, especially at the end of the day when you see the work you accomplished," he says. Mr. Nellans, 35, didn't become discouraged even after he accidentally knocked down a dead tree and broke his right leg in the process four years ago. "I was back in the woods cutting timber in five weeks," he says.

Other jobs at the bottom of the study: dairy farmer, taxi driver, seaman, emergency medical technician and roofer.

Mike Riegel, a 43-year-old roofer in Flemington, N.J., says he likes working "outside in the fresh air." Since he runs his own business, which he inherited from his father, he can start and end his day early in hot weather or do the opposite when it's cold.

The study estimates roofers earn annual incomes of $34,164, which Mr. Riegel says is consistent with what he pays new employees. Roofers also ranked poorly because of their hazardous working conditions. "You obviously can't be afraid of heights," says Mr. Riegel, who once fell two stories while working on a rooftop in the rain but luckily landed safely on a pile of soft dirt. "I missed some cement by 10 feet."

Can we quantify love and emotions?

Don't miss out on this great This American Life radio program called Numbers. It's a fun look at how we can use numbers to quantify obvious and not so obvious aspects of everyday life. For example, it's easy to count how many times you say, "I love you"...but how do you quantify the more emotional parts of love and relationships. Fun listen!

Women are teachable

Came across an interesting blog post about women and work issues during World War II. During this time period there were a number of assumptions made about female workers and many companies produced booklets for employers to help them deal with "women issues". My favorite recommendation to employers is to "Avoid horseplay or 'kidding', she may reset it." Check out the full post here.

How times have changed! While women still face a number of obstacles in the workplace, women have made tremendous advances in education which should translate into advances in the workplace. According to the 2007 Current Population Survey, about 33 percent of young women 25 to 29 had a bachelor’s degree or more education, compared with 26 percent of their male counterparts. Also more women are enrolled in college. More than half of undergraduates (56 percent) – as well as 59 percent of graduate students – were women.