Though they make up only half the U.S. workforce, women make up 55 percent of those currently unemployed due to COVID-19, effectively erasing the gains made in workplace equality since the recession of 2008. The current unemployment crisis has been deemed a “she-cession” by C. Nicole Mason, president and chief executive of the Institute for […]
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 […]
Majority of COVID-19 Related Job Loss Falls on Women and Minorities
The U.S. Labor Department reports that 701,000 workers were laid off in March due to COVID-19, with almost 60 percent of those being women. Earlier this year, women had overtaken men to make up the majority of the national workforce, but layoffs have put them back in the minority. Stay-at-home orders and mandatory business closures have […]
Nearly One Million Americans Will Lose Access to Food Stamps under New Trump Rule
Under a new rule enacted by the Trump administration, close to 700,000 people will lose SNAP benefits due to regulations that make it more difficult for states to waive the requirement that “able bodied” recipients work at least 20 hours a week. The rule will affect people aged 18-49 who do not have children and […]
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Trump Rule will Eliminate SNAP Benefits for over 750,000 Individuals
The Trump administration is now receiving comments on a proposed rule that will eliminate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for over 750,000 unemployed and underemployed individuals and cut $15 billion dollars from the program over 10 years. Trump originally wanted this to be included into a farm bill he signed into law; however since […]
Senate Votes to Extend Unemployment Benefits
The Senate voted 50-38 yesterday to approve a bill that would restore jobless benefits for 2.4 million Americans who have been out of work for at least six months.
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HERvotes Blog Carnival: Protecting Unemployment Benefits
by Hannah Gordon, Feminist Majority Foundation Welcome to the seventh #HERvotes blog carnival on the need to protect women and employment during these tough economic times, with a focus on the importance of extending Unemployment Insurance (UI) before the December 31st deadline. It is critical that Congress acts before the end of this calendar year […]
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Unemployment Insurance in the 1930s and Today
by Michael J. Wilson Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) was founded in 1947 by Eleanor Roosevelt and other liberal luminaries in order to protect the legacy of her husband, the recently-deceased President Franklin Roosevelt, a legacy that included unemployment insurance (UI). That legacy was under attack by a rabidly conservative Republican Congressional majority recently swept into power […]
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Happy Holidays, Congress! It’s Time to Extend UI
by Julie Vogtman, Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center After the Thanksgiving feast, some lament how quickly the focus shifts to next round of holidays – but I have to admit I embrace it. Christmas music in the air 24/7? Fine by me. My tree is up, the house is bright with twinkly lights, and […]
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Unemployment Insurance, Good for People, Good for the Country
By Sherry Saunders, Director of Communications, Business and Professional Women’s Foundation I think we all were heartened by the news in November that while 13 million Americans remain out of work, the overall unemployment rate decreased from 9.9 percent to 8.6 percent. But we also learned that while the rate of unemployment improved, the duration […]
HERvotes Takes On the Jobs Crisis
This post originally appeared on the Ms. Blog Our first #HERvotes blog carnival was so successful, we’re doing it again! On August 25-26, to mark the anniversaries of the passage of the 19th amendment and the March on Washington, Ms. joined with 21 women’s organizations to collectively publish 77 blog posts with a single harmonious […]
HERVOTES: “Mancession” Gives Way to “He-covery”
As the “Mancession” gives way to the “He-covery”, women are calling for their fair share. President Obama’s jobs bill offers a plan to get Americans back to work, allocating funds ranging from payroll tax cuts to those for school revitalization. The White House estimates that 280,000 teacher layoffs will be avoided. Women represent 78% of […]
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HERvotes: More Women Face Unemployment as Public Sector Jobs Are Targeted
by Rachel Sandler, NOW/PAC Intern She sits staring at the wall in front of her, and all she feels is emptiness. Its white glow is ominous and blank, like her future. She has lost her job. She asks herself how she will pay the rent, how she’ll put dinner on the table, how she’ll pay […]
