A People First Economy Requires Systems Change
The PFE Impact Project gets business leaders civically engaged. Do you feel like we still have so far to go to live in a people first economy? Of course, a crucial first step includes businesses adopting people first company policies. But to create a people first economy, we need to create systematic change.
Local and state policies determine so much of how our economic systems operate. And elected officials depend on the voice of local business leaders, the ‘backbone of our economy,’ to move forward solutions that are good for businesses and our communities.
In the PFE Impact Project, we help business leaders learn about local and state policy proposals, evaluate how proposals could impact their business, and speak up in favor of policies that are good for businesses and move us towards a people first economy.
Issue Areas We Care About
THE PROBLEM
Proposals across the country, including Michigan, aim to restrict voting.
These proposals include tightening strict voter ID requirements, making it more difficult to register, restricting access to mail-in voting, and increasing a state’s ability to purge voters that don’t vote in every election. These restrictions aren’t necessary, disproportionately impact low income and racial/ethnic communities, and worsen income disparity.
- Restrictions aren’t necessary. Out of a billion ballots between 200 and 2014, only 31 cases of voter fraud were found. There simply isn’t the need to make it harder to vote.
- Restrictions help fuel economic inequality. Low voter turnout goes hand in hand with economic policies that increase hardship and expand income inequity, which adds risks for businesses.
- Restrictions lead to a less representative elected body. When participating in democracy is difficult, it isn’t equally difficult. Low income and non-white racial and ethnic communities are more likely to have an under-resourced polling location, face longer wait times, and have hourly jobs without paid time off to vote. These extra hurdles have led to lower voter turnout and legislative bodies being overly representative of higher-income and white interests.
THE SOLUTION: BECOME A VOTER-FRIENDLY BUSINESS!
THE PROBLEM
The average cost of childcare in the US ranges from 11% of household income for two parent households to 36% for single parent households. These costs can balloon up to 62% of household income in different regions and cities.
- It’s keeping people out of work. Currently about 20% of the labor force is excluded due to the lack of access to affordable childcare.
- Significant racial divide on impacted workers. Black and multiracial parents are more likely to experience child-care employment disruptions than white parents.
- Women are disproportionately impacted as well. Caretaking of young kids has historically disproportionately been handled by women. More than 1.5 million mothers left the workforce in 2020 and have not returned.
- Enormous costs to parents and businesses. The lack of affordable childcare costs parents about $37 billion a year and businesses about $13 billion in lost productivity.
THE PROBLEM
With the continued presence of Covid-19, the lack of access to paid sick time undermines our prospects for a sustained and equitable economic recovery.
- Lack of paid sick time costs businesses. When workers feel pressured to work while sick, it costs businesses about $234 Billion in lost productivity.
- Substantial disparities between low-income and higher-income workers. Two-thirds of low-income workers lack access to paid sick time. Without paid days to stay home while contagious, these workers face an impossible decision between their well-being and making ends meet for the month.
- Paid sick time barriers disproportionality impact women. Mothers are more likely to be primary caregivers and manage the appointments and care of sick children. At the same time women are more likely to work part-time and less likely to have access to paid sick time to care for children.
- Racial and ethnic disparities also persist. Black and Hispanic workers are less likely to have access to paid sick time to care for children or themselves.
- Strong public support for Paid Sick Time. A 2015 poll put public support in Michigan at 86%. More recent polling shows continued strong support across party lines.
MI Businesses In Support of Democracy
At People First Economy, we believe that small businesses thrive when our democracy thrives. Safe and secure elections are the bedrock of a thriving democracy. Small businesses support measures that ensure our employees and team members can vote without intimidation or interference regardless of what party, issue or candidate they may support. And we strongly denounce the incessant and baseless attacks on our democracy and elections by those who seek to undermine faith in our democratic institutions and subvert the will of the voters.
People First Economy proudly serves as Michigan’s hub for certified B Corporations. Our diverse member businesses believe in achieving the highest standards of public transparency, social and environmental stewardship, as well as balancing profit with purpose. As an organization, we are focused on our people because they make our businesses succeed, they drive our economy and they make Michigan a great place to live, work and play.
Cosigned By
