New research from Catalyst, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating organizational performance and women’s progress, has identified the most common reasons driving women to leave the workforce.
In a national survey of women who left the workforce in 2025, Catalyst found 58 percent left voluntarily and 42 percent were let go. Women of color were more likely than White women to report being laid off (53 percent versus 37 percent).
Among women who did leave their jobs voluntarily, 42 percent did so because of caregiving responsibilities – the top reason for women exiting the workforce. About one fifth of women who voluntarily left the workforce said they were dissatisfied with their pay and more than one third said they were working in jobs without schedule flexibility.
“Women are not ‘opting out’ — they are leaving because many jobs are not designed around the logistical and financial realities of childcare and women’s lives,” said Sheila Brassel, a research director at Catalyst. “Employers that want to bring women back to the workforce and retain top talent need to take action through tangible and meaningful policies that support women’s full participation.”