Legislation and policies are needed that prioritize economic responsibility to ensure the prosperity and well-being of future generations
The Orange County Register questionnaire for House of Representatives candidates included a question that I was not able to research and answer before the submittal deadline and noted that I would address on the website. The question is:
"2023 was a year for labor in California. What is one policy you’d champion to support workers, if elected? (Please answer in 150 words or less.)"
My answer is:
In 2022, the California Budget and Policy Center [1] listed five ways California can support workers.
1. Eliminate (or limit) Family Fees for Subsidized Childcare
2. Improve Payment Rates for Paid Family Leave & State Disability Insurance
3. Extend COVID Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (provide 10+ days of paid sick)
4. Create and Fund the Excluded Workers Program (housing / food assistance after job loss)
5. Connect Unemployed Californians to Health Coverage (healthcare is often lost with job loss)
Another consideration is changing work arrangements in California. About 11 million are in work arrangements for their main job that differ from traditional 9-to-5 jobs and may not include employer-based health insurance. These include app-based (gig) employment, independent contractors, temporary employment, and other alternative employment (e.g., on-call workers, employed through contracting firms). [2]
The one policy I would support is universal healthcare coverage to address item 5 and provide healthcare for workers in non-traditional arrangements.
1. “5 Ways California Can Support Workers & Families Right Now, California Budget & Policy Center Commentary, September 12, 2022. https://calbudgetcenter.org/news/5-ways-california-can-support-workers-families-right-now/
2. California Work & Health Survey” University of California San Francisco California Labor Lab. https://calaborlab.ucsf.edu/cwhs