Improving Latino Jobs Must be a Focus for the State of Illinois

September 14, 2022 / Blogs

Latino workers were one of the groups hardest hit by the COVID pandemic, and now nearly three years in, amid worker shortages, Latinos continue to fill essential positions, often with low-wages, no benefits, and few protections. As the State of Illinois looks to lead the nation in policies and planning for the future of work, improving quality job access for Latinos is critical area of need. Ensuring equitable jobs for Latinos is good for families and for the overall health of our economy.

The report on the right highlights 5 key policy recommendations:

Address the barriers to homeownership and the decline in educational attainment by creating pathways for more Latinos to have jobs that pay wages that allow for homeownership and an ability to pay for educating children beyond high school.
Address COVID-19’s economic devastation on Latinos and the role that workers and workplaces played by strengthening and enforcing policies that ensure workers are safe and not placing their lives at risk while on-the-job.
Enable more Latinas to contribute to the growth of the workforce by enhancing wages and benefits, including access to affordable childcare.
Address the high rates of Covid in the Latino community by providing access to an array of benefits, including paid time off, so that Latino workers can care for those dependent on them.
Address worker shortages, stabilize the workforce, and make significant economic contributions through immigration reform that reform the process by which workers can move to and remain in the U.S., including a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers.

Read the report here.