Urban Institute: Low Income Working Families

Risk and Recovery: Understanding the Changing Risks to Family Incomes

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory Acs, Pamela J. Loprest, Austin Nichols) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

This paper examines the characteristics and circumstances of families vulnerable to sharp income drops and those most likely to recover financially. More than 13 percent of nonelderly adults in families with children will see their incomes fall by half at some point over the course of a year, and about 40 percent fully recover within a year. Those who lose jobs or have an adult leave the family are more likely to have a substantial drop in income and are less likely to recover.This study uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, which collects data every four months and can provide information on short-term income loss.

Transition to Adulthood: African American Youth and Youth from Low-Income Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Marla McDaniel, Daniel Kuehn) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

The fact sheets examine the transition to adulthood for two groups of youth using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 cohort. Low-income African Americans are compared to low-income white youth, and youth from low-income "high-work" families are compared to low-income youth from moderate-work and nonworking (i.e., low-work) families. Low-income African American youth are vulnerable to lower employment and earnings despite comparable levels of high school education and lower risk-taking behaviors. Low-income youth from high-work families show stronger connections to school or work compared to youth from low-work families, but have comparable employment and earnings during the transition to adulthood.

Children of Immigrants: National and State Characteristics

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Up-to-date state information on children of immigrants is essential for social policies that affect children and families. This brief, accompanying the Urban Institute's interactive Children of Immigrants Data Tool, describes the national and state characteristics of children of immigrants based on recent American Community Survey data. Since children of immigrants account for almost a quarter (24 percent) of children under age 5, their share in the school-age population will increase, with important implications for education policy. In addition, children of immigrants' poverty and low-income rates vary across states, highlighting the importance of state and local policies in promoting children's well-being.

Interactive Website Details the Lives of Children of Immigrants

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Children of Immigrants Data Tool enables users to generate detailed charts of the characteristics of children age 0 to 17 nationwide and for individual states and the District of Columbia in 2005 and 2006. Statistics on 21 features include citizenship and the immigrant status (foreign vs. native-born) of children and their parents; children's race, ethnicity, and school enrollment; parents' education and English proficiency; and family composition, income, and work effort. A companion publication, "Children of Immigrants: National and State Characteristics," highlights key national data and variations across states.

Many Low-Income Working Families Turn to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Help

paffairs@urban.org ( Sheila R. Zedlewski, Ei Yin Mon) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides essential help in purchasing food for most low-income Americans. Most families can qualify for benefits if their assets and income fall below minimum levels. SNAP caseloads are at an all-time high due to the recession and to program changes making it easier to receive benefits. The majority of working families that receive assistance are headed by single parents that work part time. SNAP benefits substantially reduce poverty, especially deep poverty, when benefits are added to cash income.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities Among Low-Income Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Margaret Simms, Karina Fortuny, Everett Henderson) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Low-income status in the United States varies significantly by race and ethnicity. Of the more than 13.4 million families with children living on incomes less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, 30 percent are Hispanic, 22 percent are black or African American, and 6 percent are other nonwhites. This fact sheet provides statistics on racial and ethnic differences in family structure, work effort, nativity or immigration status, earnings, and education.

Low-Income Working Families: Updated Facts and Figures

paffairs@urban.org ( Alexandra Stanczyk) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

A large percentage of American families have low incomes, which lead to a host of challenges and disadvantages for both parents and children. In 2006, one out of every three families with children had incomes below twice the federal poverty level (FPL): $40,888 for a family with two adults and two children. While these families face many of the same challenges as other families, they are particularly financially vulnerable. This fact sheet provides statistics on the work effort, earnings, health care access and other characteristics of these families.

Risk and Recovery: Documenting the Changing Risks to Family Incomes

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory Acs, Pamela J. Loprest, Austin Nichols) — Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

Using the 1996, 2001, and 2004 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this brief examines the likelihood that nonelderly individuals in families with children experience substantial drops in family income and recoveries from such drops. Over 13 percent of families see their incomes fall by half at some point over the course of a year with the lowest- and highest-income families the most likely to experience a substantial income loss. Further, only two in five individuals recover to at least 100 percent of their pre-drop income in the year after the drop.

Employers' Perspectives on San Francisco's Paid Sick Leave Policy

paffairs@urban.org ( Shelley Waters Boots, Karin Martinson, Anna Danziger) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST

This report summarizes strategies San Francisco employers used to implement the nation's first law requiring paid sick days for all employees, based on interviews with a sample of businesses. Although employers faced three new policies that affected staff wages and benefits, they were able to implement the paid sick leave requirement with minimal impacts to their business. The report details employer responses to the law in their operations, staffing, employee benefit packages, and reporting requirements. By assessing employers' perspectives on the operational challenges of the law, the study provides lessons to inform future research and policymaking.

The Stimulus Package (HR1) and Low-Income Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Margaret Simms) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST

This speech, given at the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration, discusses how the stimulus package addresses the policy needs of low-income working families. It focuses on three questions: how it might reduce poverty in the short term; how it might help position service providers for addressing poverty in the long term; and what researchers can do to inform future policies in this area. Efforts are compared to the following goals: increasing wages, promoting job stability and upward mobility, and providing income supports when needed.

Disability Onset Among Working Parents : Earnings Drops, Compensating Income Sources and Health Insurance Coverage

paffairs@urban.org ( Cynthia Perry, Genevieve M. Kenney, Bogdan Tereshchenko) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

This paper examines work-limiting disability using the 1996 and 2001 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Nearly 10 percent of employed parents developed or had a recurring disability over the course of the panel. For about a quarter of this group, earnings dropped by more than 25 percent of family income, with other income sources offsetting only a small fraction of lost earnings. In addition, workers who hold health insurance policies through their employer were less likely to reduce hours worked or leave their job following disability onset, effects consistent with job lock.

Working for Cents on the Dollar : Race and Ethnic Wage Gaps in the Noncollege Labor Market

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory Acs, Pamela J. Loprest) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

This paper uses data from the 2007 Survey of Employers in the Low-Skill Labor Market to analyze whether wage differences among workers of different races and ethnicities in the low-skill labor market remain after controlling for individual, job, and employer characteristics. The employer-provided data include detailed information on job requirements and employer characteristics rarely available in household surveys. We find that black workers earn significantly less than white workers in the less-skilled labor market, and a significant difference (12 percent) remains even after controlling for worker, job, and employer characteristics.

Residential Segregation and Low-Income Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Margery Austin Turner, Karina Fortuny) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

Historically, residential segregation constrained where minorities could live, contributing to disparities in education, employment, and wealth. Researchers interested in the well-being and future prospects of low-income working families have not yet explored how their residential patterns may vary across racial and ethnic lines or considered the implications of these patterns. Therefore, this paper explores differences in neighborhood characteristics among white, black, and Hispanic low-income working families. The findings suggest that policies aimed at reducing the persistent disadvantages facing minority low-income working families need to address the ways the neighborhoods in which minorities live may be compounding these disadvantages.

Do Education and Training Belong in the Recovery Package?

paffairs@urban.org ( Harry Holzer) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

Ramped-up education spending should be part of an economic stimulus package, Institute Fellow Harry Holzer argues, because it will increase the gross domestic product, lead to more hiring, add income to local economies, and contribute to future productivity.

Tailoring Assistance : How Antipoverty Policy Can Address Diverse Needs within the Poverty Population

paffairs@urban.org ( Margaret Simms) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

Commentary to Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity

It has been said that we are entering a new era of government policy. If so, it could be an opportune time to belatedly heed the call of Dr. Martin Luther King and revamp our policies toward the poor. Over the past decade we have moved from a set of policies that provided cash assistance (mostly inadequate) to people who were in need (by standards set by the government) to one in which those who can work are expected to do so. In the process, we have ignored the fact that the poor are not a homogenous group of people, all of whom can and will work if they have no other means of support. They are, in fact, quite diverse. Recognizing this diversity is a necessary prerequisite for developing effective antipoverty policies.

Read the full commentary on the Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity web site.

Workforce Development and the Disadvantaged : New Directions for 2009 and Beyond

paffairs@urban.org ( Harry Holzer) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) officially expired in 2003 but has not yet been reauthorized. With a new administration and Congress due in 2009, what should they consider regarding workforce development and the disadvantaged population? This brief reviews the arguments for a workforce development system, examining both the strengths and weaknesses of the current WIA program. Among the proposals are expanded funding, and planning grants which states could use to target industries and sectors with unmet demands for skilled workers. They would then identify potential "pathways" for different groups of disadvantaged workers to meet those demands.

Food Stamps, Federalism, and Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Kenneth Finegold) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST

Food stamp benefits can provide an important supplement to the income of working families (families with children under 18 and earnings), who now make up nearly 40 percent of program participants. States can take advantage of Food Stamp Program policy options that increase eligibility and benefits. Seven policy options are particularly important for working families: more liberal vehicle rules, expanded categorical eligibility, transitional benefits for families leaving cash assistance, outreach, longer certification periods, reduced reporting requirements, and waivers of the required face-to-face interviews at recertification.

Health Insurance for Low-Income Working Families - Summary

paffairs@urban.org ( Cynthia Perry, Linda J. Blumberg) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Only 37 percent of adults in low-income working families had employer-sponsored health insurance and 42 percent had no coverage. Health care costs are also rapidly rising out of reach for even middle-income Americans. In this summary, Perry and Blumberg propose comprehensive reform that ensures coverage for everyone at every income level, while still encouraging work. Their proposals include state purchasing pools, individual mandates and strategies for reducing health care costs.

Making Work Pay Enough - Summary

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory Acs, Margery Austin Turner) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

One-third of America's families with children are low income, meaning their incomes fall below twice the federal poverty level. Although four in five of these families work, many don't bring home enough to cover the everyday costs of living. In this essay, Acs and Turner outline their proposals to enhance low-income families' purchasing power and reduce unusually high housing costs through a package of reforms and policy initiatives that tackle both the income side and expenditure side of family budgets.

Comment on "Making Work Pay II"

paffairs@urban.org ( Jack A. Meyer) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 2, "Making Work Pay II: Comprehensive Health Insurance for Low-Income Working Families," by Cynthia D. Perry and Linda J. Blumberg.

Helping Poor Working Parents Get Ahead - Summary

paffairs@urban.org ( Harry Holzer, Karin Martinson) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Low-wage adult workers have trouble getting and keeping higher-paying jobs. Most lack the basic skills and education needed to move up, but certain kinds of assistance might give some the edge they need to break the pattern. In this summary, Holzer and Martinson recommend competitive federal matching block grants that reward states for developing new advancement systems which are linked to state workforce development structures. They would also require partnerships with employers and training providers, including community colleges.

Comment on "Making Work Pay II"

paffairs@urban.org ( Len Nichols) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 2, "Making Work Pay II: Comprehensive Health Insurance for Low-Income Working Families," by Cynthia D. Perry and Linda J. Blumberg.

Weathering Job Loss - Summary

paffairs@urban.org ( Margaret Simms) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Low-wage jobs are often characterized by uncertainty and unpredictable gaps in employment. A majority of workers in these jobs do not have access to the temporary income of unemployment insurance to tide them over when they suffer a job loss. This summary outlines recommendations for updating the program by extending benefits to more workers through changes in eligibility rules and establishing more uniform periods of benefit receipt.

Supporting Parents' Employment and Children's Development - Summary

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Parents in low-wage jobs lack both the time and resources needed to fill their dual roles of worker and parent.In this summary, the authors outline a family security approach that would help parents fulfill their roles effectively.They suggest policies for enabling parents to improve prospects for their children and combine work with child rearing.Among the recommendations are flexible and paid leave policies for working parents, guaranteed child care, and expansion of the Early Head program.

Comment on "Helping Poor Working Parents Get Ahead"

paffairs@urban.org ( Evelyn Ganzglass) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 4, "Helping Poor Working Parents Get Ahead: Federal Funds for New State Strategies and Systems" by Harry J. Holzer and Karin Martinson.

Comment on "Supporting Work for Low-Income People with Significant Challenges"

paffairs@urban.org ( Don Winstead) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 5, "Supporting Work for Low-Income People with Significant Challenges" by Pamela Loprest and Karin Martinson.

Comment on "Supporting Work for Low-Income People with Significant Challenges"

paffairs@urban.org ( Dan Bloom) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 5, "Supporting Work for Low-Income People with Significant Challenges" by Pamela Loprest and Karin Martinson.

Review of "Making Work Pay Enough"

paffairs@urban.org ( Jared Bernstein) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 1, "Making Work Pay Enough: A Decent Standard of Living for Working Families" by Gregory Acs and Margery Austin Turner.

Using the Housing We Have

paffairs@urban.org ( John Weicher) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 1, "Making Work Pay Enough: A Decent Standard of Living for Working Families" by Gregory Acs and Margery Austin Turner.

Comment on "Enabling Families to Weather Emergencies and Develop"

paffairs@urban.org ( Edward N. Wolff) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 7, "Enabling Families to Weather Emergencies and Develop: The Role of Assets," by Signe-Mary McKernan and Caroline Ratcliffe.

States Will Find Their Own Solutions

paffairs@urban.org ( Larry Temple) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 6, "Weathering Job Loss: Unemployment Insurance" by Margaret Simms.

Unemployment Insurance Is in Desperate Need of Modernization

paffairs@urban.org ( Howard Rosen) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 6, "Weathering Job Loss: Unemployment Insurance" by Margaret Simms.

Enabling Families to Weather Emergencies and Develop - Summary

paffairs@urban.org ( Signe-Mary McKernan, Caroline Ratcliffe) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Low-wage jobs can be unstable, leaving families struggling to cope with employment gaps and financial emergencies that can strike without warning. About four in five low-income families are "asset-poor," lacking enough liquid savings to live for three months at the federal poverty level without earnings. In this summary, McKernan and Ratcliffe suggest a cluster of policies that would improve financial markets and savings opportunities for low-income families across the life cycle.

A New Safety Net for Low-Income Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Sheila R. Zedlewski, Ajay Chaudry, Margaret Simms) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

During the 1990s, the federal government promised low-income families that work would pay. Parents moved into jobs in response to new welfare rules requiring work, tax credits and other work supports that boosted take-home pay. Unfortunately, the record shows that low-income families have not progressed much. Many don't bring home enough to cover the everyday costs of living. This paper synthesizes the current status of low-income families along with the findings from a set of essays that address key shortcomings in the safety net. The paper summarizes ideas for policies that would make work pay in today's economy.

Enabling Families to Weather Emergencies and Develop : The Role of Assets

paffairs@urban.org ( Signe-Mary McKernan, Caroline Ratcliffe) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Low-wage jobs can be unstable, leaving families struggling to cope with employment gaps and financial emergencies that can strike without warning. About four in five low-income families are "asset poor," lacking enough liquid savings to live for three months at the federal poverty level without earnings. In this essay, McKernan and Ratcliffe suggest a cluster of policies that would improve financial markets and savings opportunities for low-income families across the life cycle.

Supporting Work for Low-Income People with Significant Challenges

paffairs@urban.org ( Pamela J. Loprest, Karin Martinson) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Welfare programs require people to work, but some low-income adults struggle with major personal challenges that make it hard to find or hold down a job. In this essay, Loprest and Martinson recommend both short term changes to current programs and longer term efforts through a program for competitive federal matching block grants to states. These grants would support efforts to integrate programs that alleviate barriers to work with employment services and to evaluate these initiatives so policymakers can better understand what works.

Weathering Job Loss : Unemployment Insurance

paffairs@urban.org ( Margaret Simms) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Making Work Pay II : Comprehensive Health Insurance for Low-Income Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Cynthia Perry, Linda J. Blumberg) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Only 37 percent of adults in low-income working families had employer-sponsored health insurance and 42 percent had no coverage. Health care costs are also rapidly rising out of reach for even middle-income Americans. In this essay, Perry and Blumberg propose comprehensive reform that ensures coverage for everyone at every income level, while still encouraging work. Their proposals include state purchasing pools, individual mandates, and strategies for reducing health care costs.

Helping Poor Working Parents Get Ahead : Federal Funds for New State Strategies and Systems

paffairs@urban.org ( Harry Holzer, Karin Martinson) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Low-wage adult workers have trouble getting and keeping higher-paying jobs. Most lack the basic skills and education needed to move up, but certain kinds of assistance might give some the edge they need to break the pattern. In this essay, Holzer and Martinson recommend competitive federal matching block grants that reward states for developing new advancement systems which are linked to state workforce development structures. They would also require partnerships with employers and training providers, including community colleges.

Family Security : Supporting Parents' Employment and Children's DevelopmentSummary

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

Parents in low-wage jobs lack both the time and resources needed to fill their dual roles of worker and parent. In this essay, the authors outline a "family security" approach that would help parents fulfill their roles effectively. They suggest policies for enabling parents to improve prospects for their children and combine work with child rearing. Among the recommendations are flexible and paid leave policies for working parents, guaranteed child care, and expansion of the Early Head program.

Making Work Pay Enough : A Decent Standard of Living for Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory Acs, Margery Austin Turner) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

When Traditional Asset Building Is Not Enough

paffairs@urban.org ( Jessica Gordon Nembhard) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

This paper is a response to New Safety Net Paper 7, "Enabling Families to Weather Emergencies and Develop: The Role of Assets," by Signe-Mary McKernan and Caroline Ratcliffe.

Filling the Credit Gap: The Role of the Small Business Administration

paffairs@urban.org ( Shelli B. Rossman, Brett Theodos) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST

The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 to help Americans start and build small businesses. Recently, the SBA commissioned the Urban Institute to look at four of the agency's loan and investment programs to assess their past performance and consider how the agency can set benchmarks for future performance management. The studies addressed three key research questions of particular interest to SBA and its constituents: 1) Does SBA assistance help the firms that receive it? 2) To what extent does SBA assistance serve its market? 3) Do SBA programs duplicate or overlap with other public sector programs?

The Potential Impact of Increasing Child Support Payments to TANF Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Laura Wheaton, Elaine Sorensen) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST

The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 includes incentives for states to increase the amount of child support that is "passed through" to families on welfare, rather than retained to offset welfare expenditures. Beginning October 1, 2008, the federal government will share in the costs of a $100 per month pass-through for families with one child and a $200 per month pass-through for families with two or more children. This brief discusses the potential benefits and costs to families, states, and the federal government if all states implemented a $100/$200 pass-through and disregard.

Margaret Simms Receives the Samuel Z. Westerfield Award

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST

The National Economic Association is presenting the Samuel Z. Westerfield Award to Margaret Simms, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, on January 4, at the association's annual meeting in New Orleans. The award recognizes outstanding scholarly achievements of African-American economists in teaching, research, and public service.

Low-Income Workers and Their Employers : Characteristics and Challenges

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory Acs, Austin Nichols) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST

This paper finds that about one in four workers, ages 18 to 61, earned less than $7.73 an hour in 2003. Low-wage workers who reside in low-income families with children are substantially less educated than the average worker, are concentrated in industries with low wages, and have limited prospects for wage growth. Many policies aimed at low-wage workers are not well-targeted at workers in low-income families with children, in part because only one in four low-wage workers reside in such families. Nevertheless, policies targeted at low-wage workers may have broad benefits, including improving the lot of low-income families with children.

Place Matters : Employers, Low-Income Workers, and Regional Economic Development

paffairs@urban.org ( Nancy M. Pindus, Brett Theodos, G. Thomas Kingsley) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST

Spatial factors and location are often missed, but critical, pieces of the puzzle in developing public and private policies that support working families. This paper summarizes factors determining locational decisions of businesses and workers, as well as local economic growth, and suggests how employer needs as well as opportunities for low income workers might be served by successful policies in the areas of housing, transportation, education and workforce development. There are notable differences in the patterns of work and employment within and across metro areas, implying that there is no single strategy or national blueprint that will work everywhere.

Building Skills and Promoting Job Advancement : The Promise of Employer-Focused Strategies

paffairs@urban.org ( Karin Martinson) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST

While many skill-upgrade initiatives are based in the public or private education system, efforts where businesses sponsor or play a lead role in developing training also provide an important venue for skill building. This paper examines why employer-focused training is a promising strategy for boosting the earnings of low-income individuals while also providing benefits to employers. Three employer-focused models with potential for improving skills and promoting job advancement among low-wage workers are examined: incumbent worker training programs, sectoral training programs, and career ladder programs.

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance and the Low-Income Workforce : Limitations of the System and Strategies for Increasing Coverage

paffairs@urban.org ( Linda J. Blumberg) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST

As the number of uninsured grows, and the share with employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) falls, questions arise about the future viability of our largely employer-based insurance system. Significant weaknesses exist in the system, and these are heightened for the low-income working population and their employers. A menu of policy options are available for expanding coverage, and expansions will require a combination: income and health status related subsidies; a guaranteed source for all individuals to obtain coverage; requiring at least a minimum level of insurance; requiring employers contributions; increasing enrollment and retention in existing insurance options; and cost containment strategies.

Meeting Responsibilities at Work and Home : Public and Private Supports

paffairs@urban.org ( Pamela Winston) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST

Public or private policies to help working parents balance job and family responsibilities are substantially more limited in the United States than in other industrialized nations. This is true for parents in general, but is particularly true for low-income working parents who hold lower wage jobs. This paper summarizes what we know about families' access to supports, employers' experiences, and public and employer efforts to expand them. It explores paid sick leave/paid time off, paid parental leave at the birth of a child, workplace flexibility, child care assistance, and initiatives to link low-income working families with public benefits.