Introduction
This video highlights findings from the report, The Experiences, Needs, and Voices of Workers in Low-Income Households During COVID-19 (PDF) (PDF), and its accompanying brief, Facing Challenges and Showing Resilience: Reflections of Workers from Low-Income Households During COVID-19 (PDF) (PDF). The video summarizes the experiences that 41 such workers shared during in-depth interviews with Mathematica. These often-neglected voices provide an important perspective on the pandemic’s impact on people in the low-wage labor market.
The interviews examined how the respondents’ employment situations changed during the pandemic and the financial struggles they faced because of losing their job or having their work hours reduced. Their narratives shed light on the wide range of challenges they encountered in their roles as workers and caregivers and the coping strategies they used to make ends meet.
Purpose
This video features the stories of how individuals working in low-wage jobs experienced and navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, in their own words.
Key findings and highlights
- Almost all interviewees experienced disruption in their employment during the pandemic.
- Despite challenging personal circumstances and the shift to virtual service delivery, almost all interviewees remained engaged with employment program staff during 2020.
- Many interviewees appreciated the opportunity to share their stories.
Methods
The research team recruited study participants from four employment programs that serve people with low incomes who face various challenges to employment: (1) Bridges from School to Work, (2) Families Achieving Success Today, (3) Family Development and Self-Sufficiency, and (4) LIFT. Individuals were eligible for the study if they were between the ages of 18 and 59 and were employed either part- or full-time at any paying job when the pandemic hit in early 2020.
The research team conducted interviews with eligible workers between September and December 2020. The interviews took place by phone or videoconference and lasted between one and two hours. The team asked open-ended questions to stimulate a conversation. With consent from interviewees, the team recorded and transcribed the interviews.
This video was developed after the brief was published. The key findings highlighted in the video were drawn from select illustrative quotes from the report.
Related resources
The Experiences, Needs, and Voices of Workers in Low-Income Households During COVID-19 (PDF)
Citation
Clement, R., M. Kharsa, M. Kalb, P. Holcomb, J. Kauff, and L. Ochoa. "Supporting Workers and Families in Low-Income Households During Economic Downturns." OPRE Report #2023-317. Produced by Rich Clement. Mathematica, January 31, 2024. Video. https://youtu.be/51zUOn_bvyA