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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: 202-693-4657
The report on the Employment Characteristics of Families
released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the surge in economic
growth has created a wealth of opportunity, but also means that parents work
harder than ever.
Over 83 percent of all families, or roughly 4 out of 5,
have at least one working member. In more than half of two-parent families,
both the mother and father work. Not only are wives and mothers working in
record numbers, we've seen strong employment gains for minority families and
families maintained by women.
From 1994 to 1999, the proportion of black families with an
employed member increased by 6.8 percentage points to 80.6 percent and the
proportion of Hispanic families with an employed member increased by 5.2 points
to 86.5 percent. The labor force participation rate for unmarried mothers with
children under a year old has jumped from 45.9 to 58.9 percent, a 13 point
increase.
More parents are working and, as a result, need more help
meeting the challenges of supporting their families. We've already made
progress with passing the Family and Medical Leave Act but now is the time to
expand it.
The strong economy also makes it the right time to raise
the minimum wage, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, and continue to invest
in quality child care so that work pays for working American families.
As Labor Secretary, I am pleased that we will soon have a
new tool to help balance work and family. Regulations have just been issued
that allow states to experiment with using their unemployment compensation
system to make leave more affordable for working parents who spend time at home
with a new child.
To insure that today's prosperity is broadly shared, we
must target investments toward initiatives that help families achieve a work
and family balance.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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