Trigger Warning: This page contains references to themes which some individuals may find distressing, including suicide and harassment. “The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.” – W. E. B. Du Bois By Christian Collins Black…
On July 31, 2013, the House Subcommittee on Human Resources held a hearing on improving the safety net. Witnesses described what improvements are needed to the nation's safety net programs, but more importantly, one witness highlighted what is already being done in their state to better…
In 2013, at least 30 states brought forward proposals to screen or chemically test individuals applying for public benefits for drug use. Kansas and Texas enacted suspicion-based drug testing for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.)
When San Francisco became the first jurisdiction in the country to pass an earned sick days law, when Connecticut became the first state, and when Seattle followed in the footsteps of its fellow west coast city, advocates and supporters cheered.
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi's press conference yesterday announcing the House Democrats Economic Agenda for Women and Families, "When Women Succeed, America Succeeds," ended with Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez's speech highlighting the importance of the
This week, CLASP releases the third in a series of implementation briefs on earned sick days laws. The first two briefs, released earlier in the spring, highlighted best practices emerging from the west coast with San Francisco and Seattle's earned sick d
While it is great news that the importance of early education is starting to gain traction across the country, it is crucial to recognize where we are as a country and how far we have to go. President Obama has proposed big investments in early…
A handful of states have recently done the right thing for low-income families by passing laws that improve their TANF programs. California, Minnesota, Illinois and Nebraska have all enacted laws that strengthen TANF programs to serve needy families.
A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that low-income individuals of color will be disproportionately affected by state decisions on whether or not to expand Medicaid.
Regardless of ideology or political party, Americans overwhelmingly agree that our safety net programs should support low-income workers in their efforts to become self-sufficient – and that these programs should not leave workers worse off when they get a raise or increase their hours.
The restaurant industry is tough. Low wages, unpredictable schedules, and long hours are hard enough. Add the stress of finding affordable, high-quality child care during the hours when restaurant employees need it, and working in the industry poses critical challenges to the well-being of the…