High-contact sectors—primarily services—as well as the lowwage workers employed in these sectors—primarily women and youth—were the hardest hit. Jobs for workers earning less than $ an hour fell 27 percent in 2020, almost five times the decline in overall employment.
Together, the hospitality and retail trade sectors explain 30 percent of the shortfall in employment income, while less than 10 percent can be attributed to sectors at the top of the wage scale (Chart 1).