Business · Economy · 1 hr ago
Mothers find jobs faster but often earn less, study says
A study by CIMAD and Afore Sura found that mothers in Mexico find jobs faster than women without children.
It found 36.5% of mothers found work within 15 days, compared with 30% of women without children.
Mothers took an average of 62 days to find work, against 70 days for women without children.
Financial pressure can push mothers to accept lower-paid jobs below their qualifications, especially after time away from work for caregiving.
Although 67% of mothers seeking work had high-level qualifications, some took entry-level roles or jobs beneath their professional level.
Care duties keep many women out of the workforce: 54.5% of mothers not seeking work cited a lack of someone to care for children or other relatives.
The study says lower pay and caregiving responsibilities can widen the wage gap and make it harder for mothers to return to work over time.
Mothers find jobs faster than women without children but are more likely to accept lower-paid roles, a study says.
The study found that 36.5% of mothers found work in under 15 days, compared with 30.0% of women without children.
Mothers took an average of 62 days to find work, compared with 70 days for women without children.
Researchers said financial pressure and care responsibilities can lead mothers returning to work to accept jobs below their qualifications.
The study also found that care duties were a common reason women with children who were not working did not seek employment.
- Who
- Mothers seeking work, compared with women without children. The study was prepared by CIMAD and Afore Sura.
- What
- Mothers find jobs faster but may accept lower-paid or less suitable roles, according to the study.
- When
- Published on November 6, 2026.
- Where
- Mexico.
- Why
- The study suggests financial pressure and insecurity may lead mothers to accept jobs below their capabilities; care responsibilities can also affect their return to work.
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This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Mothers finding work in under 15 days
- 36.5%
- Women without children finding work in under 15 days
- 30.0%
- Average job-search time for mothers
- 62 days
- Average job-search time for women without children
- 70 days
- Care as a reason mothers who are not seeking work do not do so
- 54.5% of reasons reported
What people are saying
As a woman has a greater number of children, she is more likely to leave the workforce
There the gap keeps getting bigger