Divergent Pathways: An Examination of Race Differences in Women’s Labor Force Exit Patterns

Tyson H. Brown, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This study uses five waves of panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) in tandem with multivariate event history models and a life course perspective to explore racial disparities in labor force exit behavior among women. analyzes suggest that Black women are disadvantaged relative to White women with respect to educational attainment, work and family patterns, income, wealth, and health, and that these disparities underlie race differences in labor force exit patterns. Specifically, compared to White women, Black women are less likely to exit the labor force via retirement and are more likely to exit the labor force due to a disability. Theoretical implications of this study and policy relevance are also discussed.