Impacts to Employment and Use of Assistance
A fifth of those who were employed full time in the year prior to the survey were not by the time of the survey. A total of 53% of respondents reported they had full time employment in the year prior to the pandemic, whereas only 42% of respondents reported they had full-time employment in the month leading up to the survey.
Part time employment also saw big changes, with 40% of those who were part time in the year prior to the pandemic being neither part time nor full time employed during the pandemic, in the month prior to the survey.
The age group with the largest unemployment increases was, by far, the 30 to 39 year old age group, where unemployment rose from 5% pre-pandemic to 24% at time of survey.
Although Latino/a respondents saw large increases in unemployment, their use of unemployment insurance was dramatically less than non-Latino/a respondents.
Women were far more likely to be unemployed and on unemployment insurance in the month prior to the survey relative to men.
Survey respondents’ use of credit and savings increased and decreased at a similar level as a result of the pandemic, with around 20% reporting increases, 20% reported decreases, 52% reporting no change, and 7% reporting they did not have access to credit or savings.
Covid-19 impacted unemployment and unemployment insurance among Latino/as and women most notably. Latino/a respondents were unemployed more than non-Latino/a respondents both before and after the pandemic but their use of unemployment insurance was lower after the pandemic. Female respondents experienced greater unemployment than male respondents during the pandemic and their use of unemployment insurance was correspondingly higher.
Policy Takeaways
Unemployment Insurance is underutilized by Latino/a members of the population. This may worsen as access to expanded unemployment insurance decreases or expires.
A large portion of those in prime working age, many of whom likely have children, remained unemployed at the time of the survey. The expiration or reduction in temporary unemployment insurance benefits will likely cause significant financial impact among this group.