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A report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research says Black women experienced disproportionately severe job losses during the first year of President Donald Trump’s second administration, with researchers blaming federal layoffs, the dismantling of diversity initiatives and broader economic instability for the decline.
The analysis found that Black women lost a net total of 113,000 jobs between January and December 2025 despite representing a relatively small share of the overall workforce.
At the peak of labor market volatility last summer, Black women accounted for 54.7% of all female job losses while making up just 14.1% of the female workforce, according to the report.
“The numbers don’t lie,” said Jamila K. Taylor, president and CEO of IWPR. “Black women are being forced to endure the consequences of an administration that willfully ignores the benefits of a knowledgeable and diverse workforce.”
The report arrives amid growing scrutiny over the economic effects of the Trump administration’s policies, including reductions in the federal workforce, rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and trade policies that economists say have contributed to labor market instability.
Researchers at IWPR argued that Black women were uniquely vulnerable because they are heavily represented in industries such as health care, education and social services — sectors that experienced significant disruptions during the administration’s first year.
The report also noted that Black women are often primary earners within their households, meaning employment declines can have broader ripple effects on families and communities.
“When we are disproportionately pushed out of the workforce, the stability of entire communities is at stake,” Taylor said.
According to the report, Black women lost more than three times as many jobs as women overall in professional and service occupations, including industries tied to caregiving and education.
Researchers also highlighted sharp declines in federal employment among Black women.
Although only 5.1% of Black women work in federal government jobs, the report found they experienced more than a 30% drop in federal employment during 2025.
By comparison, all women experienced an 11.6% decline in federal employment while men saw an 8.1% decrease, according to the analysis.
The report linked those losses to large-scale federal layoffs carried out by the administration as part of broader government restructuring efforts.
Researchers also argued that the elimination of federal DEI initiatives contributed to worsening workplace conditions and made Black women more vulnerable to layoffs.
Jennifer Turner, a co-author of the report, said Black women’s labor market experiences often reflect wider economic vulnerabilities.
“Black women’s experiences are the ‘canary in the coal mine’ for the American economy,” Turner said. “Even when sectors shrink across the board, the exit door is pushed open widest for Black women.”
The report described the trend as evidence of systemic inequities within the labor market rather than isolated economic disruptions.
The findings are likely to intensify criticism from labor advocates and civil rights groups who have accused the Trump administration of weakening workplace protections and diversity initiatives.
Since returning to office, Trump officials have aggressively scaled back federal DEI programs, arguing such initiatives promote discrimination and ideological bias.
The administration has also pursued sweeping reductions across federal agencies while imposing fluctuating tariffs that economists say have increased uncertainty for employers and workers.
Administration officials have defended the policies as necessary to reduce government spending, strengthen domestic industries and eliminate what they characterize as politically driven hiring practices.
Black women have historically faced higher unemployment rates and wage disparities compared with white workers and other demographic groups, trends economists often attribute to a combination of racial and gender discrimination.
Labor experts say Black women are also more likely to work in public-sector and service-sector positions that can be heavily affected by government budget cuts and economic downturns.
The report comes as broader signs of economic strain continue emerging nationwide despite strong stock market performance and steady job growth in some sectors.
Recent federal data has shown rising inflation and slowing wage growth tied in part to energy price spikes and global economic uncertainty.
IWPR researchers called for renewed federal investment in workforce protections, anti-discrimination enforcement and economic policies aimed at reducing racial and gender disparities in employment.
The report is expected to fuel further debate in Congress and among advocacy groups over the economic effects of the administration’s labor and diversity policies heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
