ABSTRACT
As the Latino population in the United States grows to become the largest minority group, their labor-force participation will have dramatic effects on the economy. (The term Latino is used in place of Hispanic except when referencing the works of another author. Because Hispanic is a term imposed by the U.S. government to categorize all Latinos, there is controversy among Latinos about which term is preferred.) There is a misconception that Latinas, Latino women, have only recently become members of the labor force. But the reality is that Latinas have always been active members. The Latino population is composed of many different groups, with the largest four groups being Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and Central/South Americans. Latinas are generally overrepresented in the lower-skilled jobs with the lowest wages, although it is important to note that there are differences among these groups in their labor-force participation. Literature on Latinas' labor-force participation has focused on either their culturally based gender roles or their lack of human capital. Closely related to human capital is the impart of immigrant status on access to resources with which to build Latinas' market capital.
