Reports & Articles
We all want to live in a prosperous state with thriving communities. Washingtonians consistently identify the same set of public priorities for state leaders: excellent schools, well-maintained infrastructure, protecting the vulnerable, quality health care, responsive police, and stewardship of the state’s natural resources.[1] Decades ago, Washington State consistently invested enough to establish a foundation of […]
For a PDF version of this report, click here. Introduction How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? What’s that lipstick doing on your collar? If a drug store is open 24 hours, why are there locks on the doors? How many LGBT people are there in the United States? […]
Washington State’s sales tax is the largest revenue generator, accounting for 47.9 percent of the state’s general fund revenue in fiscal year 2017. But over time, that revenue stream is declining as the economy shifts from goods to services. Through the middle part of the 20th century, when our economy was based largely on the […]
For a PDF of this report, click here. Paid family and medical leave has become a top-tier policy issue. Over the past several years, a number of high-profile corporations have announced new and expanded paid parental leave programs. However, access to paid family leave remains primarily available to the already privileged. In 2017, only 13 […]
For a PDF of this report, click here. Introduction Many Washingtonians feel they are heavily taxed. They are – if they’re working class or middle class. Wealthy residents pay a tax rate many times lower than the rates other people pay. But due to our opaque tax system, it’s hard to understand how much we […]
The Washington State Legislature has the chance in the winter 2018 session to pass an updated equal pay bill. In each of the past three years, the state’s House has passed an equal pay bill with bipartisan majorities, but those bills have died in committee in the Senate.1 With Senate committees under new leadership, the […]
For a PDF version of this report, click here. Late in the evening on June 30, 2017, the Washington State Legislature adopted one of the nation’s most comprehensive paid family and medical leave (PFML) policies. The vote was strongly bipartisan – 37 to 12 in the Senate and 65 to 29 in the House. Breaking […]
For a PDF of this report, click here. The Washington State Constitution states: “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.” [1] In 2014, the State Supreme Court found […]
For a PDF of the full report, click here. Executive Summary A just-released study funded by a U.S. Department of Labor grant to the State of Washington shows strong public support for a paid family and medical leave program – and new cost estimates that put such a program easily within reach of most workers and […]
For a PDF of this factsheet, click here. A new baby, cancer diagnosis, or dying parent – occasionally we all need to take extended time away from work to care for family or health. California, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island have programs to provide all workers with paid leave when a new child […]
For a PDF of this report, click here. Summary Social Security is a longstanding success of our democratic system. It provides financial security and stable incomes to 60 million Americans directly receiving retirement, disability, or survivor benefits.[i] In Washington state, 29% of households depend on Social Security income.[ii] Social Security is the most common source […]
For a PDF of this report, click here. Washington state has gained jobs at a faster rate than most other states since the Great Recession, but the majority of working families are not benefitting from the economic boom. While high tech companies are attracting thousands of newcomers with promises of high compensation, pay for the […]
Establishing universal paid family and medical leave in the United States is critical to restoring economic security for working families and overcoming the entrenched inequities of race, gender, and class that undermine our economy and squash opportunity for far too many. Scientific evidence overwhelmingly confirms the importance of paid parental leave to the health and […]
From high-profile CEOs and movie stars to healthcare and retail workers, men consistently make more than women. Social scientists and economists have found clear evidence that gender-based discrimination persists – and is so deeply ingrained in culture and practice that it often goes unrecognized. Ensuring that all employees have the right to discuss and ask […]
Testimony of Marilyn Watkins, Economic Opportunity Institute, in opposition to SB 6578 and SSB 6087, before the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, February 1, 2016. Good afternoon. I’m Marilyn Watkins of the Economic Opportunity Institute, speaking in opposition to SB 6578 and SSB 6087. Washington needs to raise labor standards so that people who work […]
Testimony in support of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (SB 6149) before the Washington Senate Commerce & Labor Committee by Janet Chung, Legal Voice Chairman Baumgartner and Members of the Committee: My name is Janet Chung and I’m Legal & Legislative Counsel with Legal Voice. I’m pleased to be here to speak in support of SB 6149. I’m […]
Nurturing a new child, fighting cancer, caring for an aging parent – there are a handful of times when family and health must come first. New moms and babies are healthier with extended maternity leaves, and everyone recovers better from illness when family members provide care. But too many Washington workers are forced to return to work too soon, sacrificing health and […]
Research Overview Since San Francisco became the first U.S. jurisdiction to pass paid sick leave in 2006, over 20 additional cities and 4 states have adopted sick leave laws.[i] At least two localities, Washington, DC and New York City, have expanded their initial laws. Protecting public health, assuring that sick children receive care and prompt […]
1. Everyone gets sick – but 1 million Washington workers don’t get a single day of paid sick leave. Paid sick leave allows ill workers to stay home – away from coworkers and customers – without losing pay. But the people who can least afford time off without pay most likely have no sick leave. […]
Testimony of Marilyn Watkins, PhD, Economic Opportunity Institute, before the Spokane City Council, January 11, 2016, Paid Sick and Safe Leave Good evening. I am Marilyn Watkins with the Economic Opportunity Institute and the WA Work and Family Coalition. I am also part of Family Values at Work, a network of coalitions working to modernize […]
Paid sick days help make all jobs economy-building jobs No one should be forced to work sick or when they have a sick child – and most families can’t afford to lose several days’ pay when a nasty virus strikes. Working families spend more at local businesses when they have stable income to cover the […]
This morning, the Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee of the Martin Luther King County Council voted unanimously to forward an ordinance establishing a paid parental leave pilot program to the full Council. Chair Rod Dembowski, Joe McDermott, and Larry Phillips were the members present and voting. Assuring all County employees with newborn or newly adopted […]
The loudest calls for cutting Social Security come from wealthy CEOs who will never have to worry about their own retirement security. The roughly 200 CEOs who collectively make up Business Roundtable — a business lobbying group that often pushes conservative views, including Social Security cuts — have average retirement savings of $14.5 million, according […]
In September 2012, Seattle became the third U.S. city to implement a paid sick leave ordinance. By early 2015, more than 20 cities and four states had paid sick leave laws on the books. Seattle’s law requires employers with more than four employees (full-time equivalents) to provide paid sick and safe leave for the health […]
Social Security is the bedrock of economic security for millions of children, as well as working and retired Americans. The Social Security system currently operates at a surplus, and with a few minor tweaks, will continue to do so now and far into the future. But we can improve on Social Security’s winning formula.
The Looming Retirement Crisis Today, a secure retirement is out of reach for thousands of Washingtonians, especially those who work for small businesses. A recent state survey revealed that approximately 462,000 Washingtonians between ages 45-64 have less than $25,000 in savings.[1] The average monthly Social Security benefit in Washington is $1,300 per month. While Social […]
Retirement plans for small businesses, non-profits and the self-employed are limited, costly and difficult to use. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Washington Small Business Retirement Market proposes a public-private partnership to open new markets to business and provide an affordable, flexible option for small businesses and non-profit organizations.
From high-profile CEOs and movie stars to healthcare and retail workers, men consistently make more than women. Social scientists and economists have found clear evidence that gender-based discrimination persists – and is so deeply ingrained in culture and practice that it often goes unrecognized. Ensuring that all employees have the right to discuss and ask […]
Equal Pay Opportunity Act Women hold nearly half of all jobs and earn the majority of college degrees, yet the typical woman working full time in Washington earns 80¢ to a man’s $1. On average, Washington women working full time bring home $18,000 less each year. Fifty years after Congress banned employment discrimination, up to […]
Good afternoon. I’m Marilyn Watkins of the Economic Opportunity Institute and the Washington Work and Family Coalition here to testify in opposition to SB 6307 and in support of the ability of local governments to enact basic workplace standards, including minimum wages and paid sick leave. Everyone gets sick. Young children are especially likely to […]
Retirement plans for small businesses and the self-employed are limited, costly and difficult to use. Which explains hwy 77% of small business employees (fewer than 100 workers) and 80% of very small business employees (fewer than 10 workers) have no way to save for retirement at work.1 When you don’t have good options, you can’t […]
For a PDF of this report, click here. Social Security is one of the great achievements of American democracy. It represents the best of our values – honoring our parents, respecting hard work, and supporting families. Social Security provides stable income to 56 million people in one in four American households – in both good […]