Economic, Security, Mobility and Equity (ESME)
Whether paid or unpaid, women’s work is crucial for their families’ economic security and well-being. Greater gender equality in paid and unpaid work will reduce poverty and improve economic growth and prosperity; persistent inequity in employment and family work is costing all of us. Women are held back by the undervaluation of historically female work, workplaces designed as if workers had no family responsibilities, and a broken-down work-family infrastructure.
IWPR’s ESME program highlights the extent of pay inequalities, and the role played by stark occupational segregation in perpetuating unequal pay. We conduct research and analysis on women’s labor force participation and employment trends; workforce development, non-traditional employment, and apprenticeships; the impact of sex discrimination and harassment on women’s career advancement and mobility; the gender pay gap and pay inequity across race and ethnicity; work-family policies and employer practices; the and the impact of automation and technological advances on women workers.
We work with policymakers, employers, advocates, and practitioners to identify promising practices and policy solutions.
Food Stamp Participation and the Economic Well Being of Single Mothers
In new research entitled “Food Stamps and AFDC: A Double Life-Line for Low-Income Single Working Mothers,” the Institute for Women’s Policy Research shows that eligible families of single working mothers are more likely to participate in the Food Stamp Program during the months in which they receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). The study also shows that major losses in family purchasing power occur when they do not receive food stamp benefits but are eligible to do so.
Contingent Work: Its Consequences for Well-Being, The Gendered Division of Labor, and the Welfare State
Since the mid 1980s, labor market researchers have become increasingly convinced that the United States is witnessing a restructuring of the labor market.
The Economic Impact of Contingent Work on Women and Their Families
Since the mid 1980s, many labor market researchers have become increasingly convinced that the U.S. is witnessing a restructuring of the labor market.
Unemployment Insurance: Barriers to Access for Women and Part-time Workers
The U.S. social insurance system has always been unique by international standards. It's always been a bit less generous than other systems and always a bit more complicated.
Providing Paid Family Leave: Estimating the Cost of Expanding California’s Disability Insurance Program
Testimony before the U.S. Commission on Family and Medical Leave, San Francisco, CA. Estimates the cost of expanding California’s Temporary Disability Insurance Program and examines the feasibility of using the temporary disability insurance model to provide paid family leave to workers.
Children and Families in the District of Columbia: Child Care Needs
Child care in the nation’s capital, like the nation in general, is essential. the increased labor force participation of mothers, increased poverty rates, and the increasing evidence of positive effects of preschool on poor children, has made understanding the demographics of children and their families very necessary.
