The Work, Family, and Equity Index:
Document source : www.mcgill.ca
How does the United States measure up?
Background
When it comes to ensuring decent working conditions for families, the latest research
shows many U.S. public policies still lag dramatically behind all high-income countries,
as well as many middle- and low-income countries. This report is based on updated and
expanded research used in the first Work, Family, and Equity Index: Where Does the
United States Stand Globally?, released in 2004.
With the support of the Ford Foundation, the Work, Family, and Equity Index is the first
venture to systematically define and measure successful public policies for working
families in 177 countries. The evidence-based study uses extensive data from
independent research, government sources, academic institutions, professional
organizations, and a wide range of international bodies including the UN, OECD, the
World Bank, and the ILO.
The Work, Family, and Equity Index is part of the Project on Global Working Families,
the first program devoted to understanding and improving the relationship between
working conditions around the world and family health and well-being.
Where does the U.S. have strong work protections?
The U.S. performs well in having policies that ensure an equitable right to work for all
racial and ethnic groups, regardless of gender, age or disability. U.S. social insurance
policies have had marked success in lowering the poverty rates of the elderly, although
they have been less successful than other affluent nations in protecting children from
poverty.
The U.S. is also one of 117 countries guaranteeing a pay premium for overtime work.
The U.S. rate of 150 percent (or "time and a half") for overtime is near the top in the
range of guaranteed payments. Only six countries mandate more.
Where does the U.S. lag behind?
Leave around childbearing
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Out of 173 countries studied, 169 countries offer guaranteed leave with income to
women in connection with childbirth; 98 of these countries offer 14 or more weeks
paid leave. Although in a number of countries many women work in the informal
sector, where these government guarantees do not always apply, the fact remains that
the U.S. guarantees no paid leave for mothers in any segment of the work force,
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Summary :
The Work, Family, and Equity Index is part of the Project on Global Working Families, the first program devoted to understanding and improving the relationship between working conditions around the world and family health and well-being. Although in a number of countries many women work in the informal sector, where these government guarantees do not always apply, the fact remains that the U.S. guarantees no paid leave for mothers in any segment of the work force, 1
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