Policy Brief: Licensing Barriers for Women in the Workforce

Dr. Darwyyn Deyo

Occupational licensing can disproportionately impact women twice over, both as members of the labor force and as regular consumers of higher cost services from licensed occupations.

Direct costs from licensing requirements for women seeking to work in these occupations can raise barriers to entry in the labor market, either as new entrants or when re-entering the labor market. However, aspiring workers face these barriers within occupations together. In contrast, the extent to which the occupations that women are more likely to work in are disproportionately licensed can particularly impact women’s labor market outcomes and access. This policy brief is the first to categorize the extent to which states impose occupational licensing on predominantly female occupations, with recommendations for reforms.

Find the entire Policy Brief Here