![]() ![]() The lowest-paying industries accounted for 31 percent of all jobs in February of 2020, but 55 percent of jobs lost since then. (See Figure 1.) Since the steep job losses of last spring, workers of color and those without a bachelor’s degree have endured a far slower jobs recovery than white workers and college graduates. Not only are there now 9.5 million fewer jobs than in February of 2020, but a disproportionate number of job losses over the past year are in industries that pay low wages. The American Rescue Plan Act will extend critical unemployment benefits that are helping jobless workers pay their bills and care for their families. Charting a course for an equitable recovery will require turning to these long-term, underlying investment deficits and policy gaps. This legislation will help millions of people, but the nation would need fewer stopgap measures during hard times if we had permanent policies to ensure universal health coverage, adequate jobless benefits, and supports for households struggling to make ends meet. The Act includes other provisions as well, including a new round of stimulus payments, public health investments, paid leave provisions, additional child care funding, and aid to businesses.
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