49.7 percent

At the start of this recession (December 2007), 48.7 percent of payroll employees were women. By April 2009, their percentage passed 49.7.

About a month ago I noted that it was possible that women's percentage would pass 50 in this recession IF it got significantly deeper. Today's employment report suggests that employment losses are slowing. Moreover, the employment losses March-April 2009 were less overwhelmingly male than they have been in previous months.

Thus, it appears that women will remain a slim minority of payrolls for the near future.