WOMEN'S WORK: THE FEMINIZATION AND SHIFTING MEANINGS OF CLERICAL WORK.

The article discusses changes in women’s employment as clerks in the U.S. and Canada. The authors discuss the perception of clerical positions as work for women and comment on changes in those perceptions. The expansion of office work created greater demand for workers, leading to increased work opportunities in service industries for women following World War II and the feminization of clerical fields such as stenography and typing. The authors use census data and oral histories to reveal how women's employment related to demographic qualities such as marital status, education, race and age. The retention of women employees by banks following World War II and the use of office technology by women are noted.