Employment, by class of worker and sex

A majority of public sector employees are women

• In 2003, 61% of public sector employees were women, a significant increase from their 45% share in 1976. Six in 10 public sector employees worked in education or in health care and social assistance in 2003. These sectors are characterized by higher-than-average proportions of women and account for most of the overall gains in the public sector since 1998.
• Self-employment growth among women has exceeded gains among men during the last quarter century, but women still represent only about one-third of all business owners. Since 1990, growth in self-employment has been mainly among business owners without employees; however, from 1976 to 1989, growth took place among those both with and without employees.
• Self-employed workers and public sector employees tend to be older than private sector employees. In 2003, the average age was 45.4 years for the self-employed, 41.8 years for public sector employees, and 37.1 years for private sector employees.

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