The State of the Union Is the State of Care

When politicians assess the “state of the union,” they focus on concepts like the stock market or on partisan fights in Congress. But a more revealing measure tells us far more about the health of our country: the state of care.

Today, millions of families in the U.S. are navigating inflation, a $1 trillion cut to Medicaid, and a tough job market. The basics — housing, food, and health care — are harder to afford than they were just a few years ago. At the same time, the care infrastructure that makes workforce participation possible remains inaccessible to many. For middle- and working-class families, reliable, high-quality child care is often either unaffordable or unavailable. And taking time to care — or to receive care— remains out of reach for too many in America.

Only 13 percent of workers in the United States have access to paid family and medical leave through their employers. Although more workers now have access to paid sick days, access to this policy reveals critical inequalities. Nearly all high-wage workers can stay home when they are ill or need to care for someone ill without sacrificing income–among the top 10 percent of private-sector wage earners, 96 percent have access to paid sick days. However, among the bottom 10 percent of wage earners, only 41 percent have access to paid sick days. Most low-wage workers do not have this basic protection at all.

Without paid time to care, workers face an impossible choice: their paycheck or their health; their job or their children; financial stability or caring for an aging parent or loved one. This disparity fuels economic injustice and risks community and public health. Workers with lower wages are more likely to live paycheck to paycheck. Missing even a few days of pay can result in housing instability, food insecurity, or delayed medical care. When workers cannot afford to stay home while sick, public health suffers and workplace productivity declines.

America’s workers have what it takes to build and sustain a strong economic future. They are productive, innovative, and resilient. They start businesses, power industries, educate children, and keep communities functioning. The country’s economic outlook depends on the stability and participation of our workers and their families.
But workers and families cannot carry the nation’s economic ambitions on their shoulders alone. They need a government that cares — and that demonstrates that care by delivering policies that make caregiving and work compatible. Our nation needs affordable child care, paid family and medical leave, and paid sick and safe days for all. Care policy is a vital part of our economic infrastructure.

A modern economy depends on its workforce. But a strong economy is not achievable if workers cannot manage caregiving responsibilities without financial devastation. Affordable child care enables parents — especially women — to remain attached to the labor market. Paid family and medical leave improves employee retention and economic outlook. Paid sick days reduce turnover and protect public health.

Workers in America are ready to work towards a strong economic future. They have the skills, the work ethic, and the commitment. What they lack is a government that recognizes and prioritizes care as essential infrastructural support for our workers.

The state of the union cannot be separated from the state of care. When families do not have to choose between caregiving and economic survival, our nation’s economic growth and future are guaranteed.

The way forward is clear – and we know what works: State-level victories have demonstrated that progressive work-family policies are feasible and benefit businesses (big and small), communities, and workers. It is time for Congress to act.

If we build an economy centered on care, the state of the union will be stronger for everyone.

By Suzette Gardner and Marianne Bellesorte