Reports & Articles

In the four years since the Great Recession began, workers in Washington have faced high unemployment, increased poverty and decreased access to health care coverage. Although the recession officially ended in June of 2009, its effects on workers and families have lingered. In 2010, job prospects for Washingtonians improved only slightly. In 2011, the economy […]

Ann O’Leary, Testimony before a Joint Session of the Washington State Senate Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection and House Labor and Workforce Development Committees Thank you for inviting me to testify before you today. My name is Ann O’Leary. I am the Children and Families Program Director at The Center for the Next Generation, a non-profit, non-partisan think […]

In September 2011, the City of Seattle adopted minimum standards for paid sick and safe leave, covering most people employed inside the city limits. Beginning in September 2012, an estimated 150,000 people will newly have the right to earn time off with pay to attend to their own health needs, care for a sick family […]

This brief lists, in detail, $2 billion in annual state revenue that could be raised by asking the wealthiest corporations and people to pay their fair share, ending tax preferences for big banks and and commercial farms, and updating our tax code to reflect our 21st century economy.

Testimony from Makini Howell, owner of Plum Bistro. For: Senate Bill 6229 on January 24, 2012, House Bill 2508 on January 25, 2012 My name is Makini Howell. I am a small business owner. I have grown up in the family business that my parents started. I run three restaurants and a commercial kitchen in Seattle. We […]

For many families, finding child care arrangements that are affordable and available at the times needed can present a great challenge. Many parents rely on child care provided through an informal network of family members, friends, and neighbors (FFN). Parents may choose a family, friend or neighbor over a more formal child care setting because […]

State Disability Insurance (SDI) is a partial, short-term, wage-replacement insurance plan for California workers. SDI provides coverage for two program components: Disability Insurance provides partial wage replacement benefits for up to 52 weeks per claim Paid Family Leave provides partial wage replacement benefits for up to six weeks (within a 12-month period) California is one […]

Testimony from Ingrid McDonald, AARP Advocacy Director In Support of Paid Sick Leave (SB 6229 / HB 2508) AARP supports SB 6229 / HB 2508 to establish paid sick leave because we think it is sound public policy and because it will help family caregivers struggling to balance their work and caregiving duties. This bill […]

Testimony of Marilyn Watkins, Ph.D. For HB 2508: Establishing minimum standards for sick and safe leave from employment, House Labor and Workforce Development Committee Thank you, Representative Sells and members  of the Committee for hearing this important piece of legislation. You’ve already heard how important paid sick leave is for the economic security and health of Washington’s workers, […]

Written testimony of Janet Chung for Legal Voice For House Bill 2508 Before the House Committee on Labor and Workforce Development Good afternoon, Chairman and Members of the Committee. I am submitting this written testimony on behalf of Legal Voice in support of House Bill 2508 to establishing minimum standards for sick and safe leave from […]

Paid time off from work to recover from illness, care for a sick child, or see a doctor is a prerequisite for healthy workers and businesses, public health, family economic security, and even children’s success in school. Yet four in ten workers get no paid sick leave – including many restaurant, grocery, and health care […]

Paid time off from work to recover from illness, care for a sick child, or see a doctor is a prerequisite for healthy workers and businesses, public health, family economic security, and even children’s success in school. Yet four in ten workers get no paid sick leave – including many restaurant, grocery, and health care […]

This brief lists, in detail, $2 billion in annual state revenue that could be raised by asking the wealthiest corporations and people to pay their fair share, ending tax preferences for big banks and and commercial farms, and updating our tax code to reflect our 21st century economy.

Washington is one of 10 states with a cost of living adjustment to its minimum wage, and one of 9 with a rate of $8.00 or more. Beginning in 2012, Washington will be the only state with a minimum wage above $9.00. Minimum wage workers are disproportionately young, female, and people of color, but more than […]

Since the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009, economic recovery has been barely perceptible for the majority of Americans. Unemployment rates remain high, and poverty rates are climbing. Today, 18% of American families with children under 18, and 30% of single mothers, live in poverty. For single moms with children under 5, the poverty […]

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.

Social Security is far more than a retirement program Social Security is the bedrock of economic security for millions of children, workers and retired Americans. During recessions, Social Security benefits help stabilize communities everywhere. Social Security provides benefits to 55 million people each month in 2011, including more than 1 million people in Washington state […]

Washington legislators will convene a special session on November 28th to respond to a $1.4 billion drop in expected revenue for the remainder of the 2011-13 state budget. As this fact sheet outlines, by closing tax breaks that favor the few and wealthy, our state can support up to $1 billion in public investments that […]

Washington lawmakers have slashed billions of dollars from the state operating budget since 2008, crippling individuals, schools, and communities in every part of the state. Meanwhile, tax breaks for the wealthiest people and corporations undercut investments in the education system and infrastructure needed to create jobs and get our economy moving again. It’s time to […]

With every paycheck, we contribute to Social Security. So do our employers. That’s how the program is funded. Then when we reach retirement age, incur a disability, or if a breadwinner dies, we are protected by modest but dependable monthly benefits. Maids, mechanics and millionaires – nearly all of us are covered because nearly all […]

State and local government budget cuts and layoffs, combined with the sharp  falloff of federal investment, are slowing down the tenuous beginnings of  economic recovery and threatening to derail it altogether. Since 2009, Washington policymakers have slashed billions of dollars from the state budget, harming individuals, schools, and communities. Those cuts have hurt the economy […]

The American Dream used to mean that if you put in a hard day’s work, you could expect good wages, benefits, and a better life for your kids. But the kinds of jobs that can provide a solid middle-class life in return for hard work are in short supply—unemployment is up, hard-won benefits are being […]

A secure and dignified retirement is one of the hallmarks of America’s middle class. But its foundation – a combination of Social Security, pensions, and savings – is no longer secure. While Social Security is on solid financial footing for decades to come, private pensions have largely disappeared from the economic landscape, and decades of […]

Pensions enable retirees to live out their older years in dignity. In the United States, an employer-provided retirement plan has long been considered an essential complement to Social Security and personal savings to ensure retirees have satisfactory incomes and certainty for household finances. However, public pensions have increasingly come under attack as private sector employers […]

“Stay home when you’re sick” was the key public health message during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, raising public awareness of the responsibility we all share in preventing the spread of contagious disease. The outbreak also highlighted how difficult it is for individuals without paid sick leave to meet competing obligations to their families, employers, their own well-being, and public health. Paid time […]

The 2000 to 2010 decade was a hard one for America’s and Washington’s working families. While the top fifth gained wealth despite two recessions and sharp stock market swings, for most people the dream of attaining the hallmarks of the American middle class grew further out of reach. Holding a  steady job, owning a home, […]

Public employee benefits are on the chopping block across the country as state and local governments look for ways to reduce spending. Public revenues remain low due to the lingering effects of the recession and the longer term trend shifting income from the middle class to the wealthy. Washington state, with an unbalanced tax structure […]

Good morning. I am Marilyn Watkins of the Economic Opportunity Institute. Thank you for allowing me to testify this morning. To  put the discussion in context, I’d like to share some data with you. These data illustrate three key points: Washington’s minimum wage has kept pace with one measure of inflation over the past decade, but […]

Good morning. I am Marilyn Watkins of the Economic Opportunity Institute. Thank you for allowing me to testify this morning against H.B. 1258 and the institution of a training wage below Washington’s minimum wage. Allowing a sub‐minimum wage during the first 680 hours of employment could potentially impact a large share of Washington’s workforce. It […]

Continued state budget cuts are dragging down Washington’s economy, undermining opportunity for our children, and threatening the health of our most vulnerable citizens. We can choose a better path that builds a stronger future for our state. Over the past three years, Washington’s budget has been slashed by roughly $6 billion. Reductions affect everyone–with larger […]

Social Security is one of the great achievements of American democracy. It provides stable income to fully one quarter of American households – in good economic times and bad. For most seniors, Social Security is the biggest source of income. Millions of children and younger adults who are no longer able to work because of […]

Prior to the passage of I-688, the minimum wage for Washington workers  could only be raised by an act of the legislature or an initiative amending the Washington  minimum wage statute, or if Congress established a higher minimum wage. As a result, the minimum wage often went years between increases, during which periods, inflation would […]