COVID-19 Poses a Specific Risk to Low-Wage Employees’ Bodily and Monetary Well being

The country's low-wage workers face a special kind of bond.

They typically work in service industries such as the restaurant, hospitality, and retail sectors, which are at particular risk of loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic, or in occupations such as healthcare workers, grocery store workers, and delivery drivers. where they may continue to work but are at higher risk of developing the disease.

According to a new KFF analysis, over 25 million non-older adults worked in low-wage jobs in 2018, making them the bottom 20 percent of the workforce. This analysis will have limited ability to offset declines in income or afford health care costs, according to the analysis that examines the characteristics of these workers and the impact of the pandemic on their jobs, health and financial security.

The main results of the analysis include:

• The most recent applications for unemployment benefits are for those who have worked in the service industry. It is disproportionately likely that workers in these industries will have low wages, with around one-fifth of low-wage workers in the entertainment / lodging / food (20%) and retail (19%) and another tenth in service (5%) or Construction (5%).

• Many low-wage workers are employed in positions likely to be associated with delivering goods and services to those who stay home when they stay at home (e.g., worker / freight, warehouse and material handling company, warehouse / order filler, and driver /). Truck driver).
• 5 million low-wage workers are in the health and social services industries, with the majority (1.3 million) working as aides or personal care workers (e.g., nursing or personal care assistants) whose jobs they will often employ. close contact with patients.

• The majority of low-wage workers are female (58% versus 47% of all workers), 57% are between 19 and 34 years old, and a disproportionate proportion are black and Hispanic.

• One in five low-wage workers had no health insurance in 2018, and the proportion is likely to be higher now given the economic downturn. Even before the pandemic, many low-wage workers reported problems in providing the necessary health care. Almost one in ten (9%) low-wage workers say they are in good or poor health, which can put them at increased risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19.

The full analysis as well as further data and analyzes on the COVID-19 pandemic can be found at kff.org.