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My latest for @CAPTalksRace w/ @DanyinDC - Nowhere are the effects of this current economic emergency more acute than in communities of color, which have long endured occupational segregation, economic exploitation, and employment discrimination. https://ampr.gs/3b83YQp
Long before the current health crisis, public policies restricted tens of millions of workers of color to jobs with few benefits, lower wages, and limited protections.
Many people of color, especially those w/o college degrees, are unable to work remotely & receive regular pay during this potentially lengthy period of social distancing. Regardless of where unemployment peaks nationally, it will be even higher for people of color.
According to the @FactTank, 29 percent of Latino households have already experienced a layoff and 40 percent have had to take a pay cut. https://pewrsr.ch/2RBIEei
None of this should shock anyone - during the Great Recession U.S. unemployment peaked at around 10% but soared to 16.8% for Black workers, 15.1% for American Indian and Alaska Native workers, and 13% for Latinx workers—levels not seen nationally since the Great Depression.
Our brilliant colleague @gbenga_ajilore has written extensively about why these gaps in labor market outcomes exist. You should check out his work: https://ampr.gs/3eeQdkW
Worse still, people of color have less wealth and liquidity to withstand the long-term negative income shocks brought on by coronavirus. @Danyindc and @DarrickHamilton wrote about this a few weeks ago: https://ampr.gs/34CTDJL
Evidence also demonstrates that while workers of color are often the first to be fired during economic downturns, they are often the last to be rehired during recoveries as a result of employment discrimination.
Research from @RWJF, @NPR, and @HarvardChanSPH found that 27 percent of Asian Americans, 31 percent of Native Americans, 33 percent of Latinos, and 56 percent of African Americans have experienced discrimination when applying for jobs. https://rwjf.ws/2RCACSN
Racial discrimination will prolong the economic fallout in communities of color unless lawmakers act now to prevent it.
So what do we do about it? Well @DanyinDC and I outline 9 recommendations in our piece (you should really read it!) but what’s most important is for policymakers to CENTER people of color in any and all coronavirus relief & recovery plans. https://ampr.gs/3b83YQp
