Economy

Hawaii Introduces COVID-19 ‘Feminist Economic Recovery Plan’

The Hawai’i State Commission on the Status of Women has introduced a ‘feminist economic recovery plan’ that is designed to help women recover from the economic hardships created by the coronavirus pandemic. The plan is the first of its kind in the nation. The plan, called “Building Bridges, Not Walking on Backs: A Feminist Economic […]

Economy Health

COVID-19 Job Losses Wipe out Insurance Access for Millions of Americans

As millions file for unemployment, many are now dealing with a pandemic-related ripple effect: a massive loss of employment-dependent health and dental insurance across America. It’s difficult to count just how many Americans have lost insurance. Since Mid-March, about 22 million workers have filed unemployment claims. As the pandemic continues and state workforce offices slowly […]

Economy Health On the Hill

Millions of Low-Income Individuals Waiting for Relief Payments That May Never Arrive

Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced that more than 80 million Americans have received their COVID-19 relief payments via direct deposit. However, millions of people are still waiting, or may never receive their payments. The key challenge for the IRS is getting payments to individuals who are not typically required to file tax returns–largely low-income […]

Economy Health Other Issues

Seven Midwest States Announce Their Plan to Partner on Reopening

On Thursday, governors from seven Midwestern states announced that they will coordinate on reopening the Midwest regional economy. The Midwest pact joins the Northeast and West Coast in an effort to coordinate amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Midwest bipartisan effort includes Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Kentucky. In the governors’ collaboration, they announced […]

Economy Health

Insurance Companies Say Action Must Be Taken to Avoid Collapse of Insurance Industry

Representatives of the insurance industry took action and wrote a letter to some congressional lawmakers in California, revealing that insurance companies do not have the foundations necessary to withstand the COVID-19 pandemic. “Insurance coverage works by spreading risk, but that model simply cannot account for a situation in which losses are catastrophic and nearly universal,” […]

Economy Health

Medical Professionals Ask For Advance Medicare Payments During Pandemic

For many healthcare professionals who own medical practices during the coronavirus outbreak, concerns have grown over how to pay rent. Private practices, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities have faced a massive influx of patients, though revenue has dropped because appointments are now generally over the phone or computer. This loss of revenue makes it difficult to pay […]

Activism Economy Health Labor Rights

Instacart, Amazon Workers Strike for Coronavirus Protections

Workers at Instacart and Amazon struck yesterday and today, critiquing the companies for not prioritizing their safety in response to coronavirus. Instacart, an app-based delivery service, employs gig workers to go into grocery stores, pick up orders and deliver orders to homes. The company wrote in an official statement, “As the crisis unfolds, our teams […]

Economy Labor Rights

Pay Gap Expected to Worsen Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Activists’ work to close the gender pay gap may be undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to experts, as women take time off or are laid off in order to care for others, any advances could be reversed. The International Labor Organization (ILO) reports that women earn approximately one-fifth less than their male counterparts across […]

Economy Global Womens Rights

Fiscal Policies Can Increase Female Workforce Participation

Equitable workforce opportunities for women are beneficial to everyone, but research from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shows that female workforce participation still lags greatly behind that of men. Due to the stubborn persistence of gender gaps in wages and educational opportunities, the average female workforce participation rate is 20 percentage points behind the male […]

Economy On the Hill

Trump’s New Budget Cuts Benefits for the Most Vulnerable

President Trump released a $44.8 trillion budget on Monday which includes deep cuts to student loan assistance, affordable housing, food stamps, and Medicaid. It does however include an increase in spending for the military, national defense, border enforcement, individual income tax cuts, and even allocates money for the “Space Force” initiative. The budget plans recommends […]

Economy Sports

WNBA and Players’ Union Propose Historic Collective Bargaining Agreement

In a time where female athletes across sports are speaking out against gender discrimination and pay inequalities, the WNBA has positioned itself as a leader by coming to a potential collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the players’ union that features salary increases, maternal and family leave benefits, and improved travel accommodations. This agreement takes steps […]