Why Greedy Jobs Force Parents Out of Work

Press Secretary Is a “Greedy Job”

The challenges Leavitt describes are not unique to her or to the current administration. Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin has popularized the term “greedy jobs” to describe positions that offer high pay but demand long, inflexible, and often unpredictable hours. The role of White House press secretary fits this definition squarely.

Past press secretaries have described workdays stretching from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., and that is before factoring in travel. However, the defining feature of a greedy job is not merely the long hours but the unpredictability of when those hours will be required. For a press secretary, the White House needs its spokesperson available the moment any news breaks, regardless of the time of day or night.

The demands of the role can be particularly acute around major life events. For instance, just three days after Leavitt’s first child was born in 2024, an assassination attempt was made on the president. She returned to work only four days after giving birth.

Former press secretary Sean Spicer similarly described the role as a “24-7 job,” noting that breaking news can interrupt sleep at any hour. Leavitt herself acknowledged this reality, stating that President Trump “deserves the press secretary who can be here on the clock, literally 24/7. That’s what the job requires.”

Goldin argues that this type of work structure is a significant contributor to the gender pay gap. Because women still take on a larger share of childcare responsibilities than men, they are more often the ones to step back from greedy jobs to care for children. This dynamic forces many highly qualified women to choose between career advancement and family time, a choice that men in similar positions are less frequently required to make.

Greedy Jobs Can Change

It is easy to assume that the grueling demands of certain high-profile roles, such as a press secretary, are simply part of the job. However, economist Claudia Goldin argues that these positions are not inherently inflexible and that they can, and must, be restructured. Her research suggests that the key to making such careers more sustainable lies in redesigning the work itself to reduce the need for one individual to be perpetually available.

Goldin refers to this process as increasing a worker’s “substitutability.” The idea is to create a system where colleagues can seamlessly cover for one another, ensuring that the work gets done without placing an unsustainable burden on a single employee. To illustrate this concept, she frequently points to the field of obstetrics as a prime example of a profession that successfully transformed its working model.

At first glance, obstetrics would seem to be the ultimate “greedy job.” After all, babies do not arrive on a schedule, and the nature of the work seemed to demand that doctors be on call around the clock. Traditionally, obstetricians were indeed required to be available whenever their patients went into labor, making it a true 24/7 commitment.

Yet, the profession underwent a significant shift. Instead of being perpetually on call, it is now much more common for obstetricians to work designated shifts within a hospital setting. This change has dramatically reduced the frequency of unpredictable, on-call demands. The success of this model is reflected in the workforce, with women now making up 64% of practicing obstetricians.

A similar structure could potentially be adapted for a role like a press secretary. While a White House press secretary is not an obstetrician, and dividing the duties among several people might sacrifice some continuity, Goldin suggests that employers often overvalue continuity. The transformation of obstetrics demonstrates that even in fields where continuous personal attention seems vital, it is not always essential to the job’s success.

Greedy Jobs And Having Children

Addressing the issue of greedy jobs is not just a matter of workplace equality or closing the gender pay gap; it may also have a direct impact on family planning decisions. There is growing evidence that particularly demanding work schedules can influence whether women choose to have children. One study found a correlation between weekend overtime, night shifts, and on-call work with a lower intention to have children. Conversely, other research indicates that shorter working hours and greater workplace flexibility can increase the intention to start or grow a family.

This connection is particularly relevant given the current policy focus on birth rates. Vice President JD Vance has made increasing the birth rate a priority, stating earlier this year, “I want more babies in the United States of America.” If the administration’s goal is to encourage Americans to have more children, then making demanding jobs more compatible with raising a family would be a logical and effective place to start. By rethinking the structure of greedy jobs, it may be possible to create an environment where both careers and families can thrive.