Male Employees 'Hardest Hit'

Sometimes it's hard to be a man - especially during the current economic downturn.

Sometimes it's hard to be a man - especially during the current economic downturn, it seems.

Figures from insurance price comparison service Insweb reveal the extent to which male-dominated industries have been hit.

Construction and manufacturing are identified as areas where unemployment has risen in recent months.

However, traditional female-led disciplines such as education and healthcare have continued to exhibit growth.

In 2008, the two sectors expanded by three per cent, Insweb says, with around three-quarters of employees being women.

Since the beginning of the recession, the insurance comparison service estimates that 80 per cent of all jobs lost have been by male employees.

At 8.8 per cent, the rate of male unemployment is now around a quarter higher than that for females, which stands at a flat seven per cent.

This could mean that some households are now seeing their only income come via the woman of the house.

However, even families with a stay-at-home mother are reminded of the financial contribution she may be making indirectly, by removing the cost of childcare.

And those with pets could increasingly face insurance claims to cover the costs associated with a dog bite, as Insweb reports that one in three policies are now called upon to pay out for such expenses.