Half of American workers are women -- but they don't earn half of all income

The recession has led to many transformations in the employment landscape. One is that women now hold half of all the jobs in the U.S., according to statistics from the federal government. The Wall Street Journalreports that women make up 49.9% of the work force, up from 48.7% in December 2007. In 1970, women held only 35% of all jobs.

Lots of forces are behind this trend. Some women are taking jobs because their spouses earn less money due to the tight economy or because their spouses have lost their jobs. Households under pressure from debt burdens need more income, so many single-income families are becoming two-income families. And layoffs seem to be hitting men disproportionately in this slump.