Our Census Bureau is understaffed and underfunded—the quality of its data is suffering
Already facing resource shortages, new federal budget cuts call into question the very future of the Census Bureau itself.
Census poverty data for 2023 highlights the importance of government assistance
Promising trends for families across the nation, but many continue to feel the lasting effects of widespread unemployment during the pandemic, a rising cost of living, and inadequate government assistance.
Hawaiʻi is even less affordable after the pandemic
How have jobs, wages and costs changed from before the COVID pandemic compared to after? These charts show changes from 2019 to 2022 that have affected livability for Hawaiʻi residents.
What made the 2022 Hawaiʻi legislative session a win for working families?
After multiple years with little progress on policy to help working families survive Hawaiʻi’s highest-in-the-nation cost of living, several factors came together to deliver a banner year in 2022.
2022 legislative session: A big win for working families; but more must be done
Legislators adopted two priority economic justice policies to deliver a significant household income boost to hundreds of thousands of Hawaiʻi workers.
A pandemic recession update in charts
Unprecedented job loss, a rise in housing costs, and inflation in food, fuel and consumer goods has made the pandemic recession especially devastating to Hawaiʻi’s working families.
Hawaiʻi can and must do better on gender equity
One area with a glaring and persistent lack of parity is how much we pay for work performed by women compared to that of men.
A better kind of unemployment insurance
Short-Time Compensation allows employees to stay in their jobs at reduced hours, pays more than the state’s current UI does, and ensures that they keep their benefits.
This Labor Day, Hawaiʻi’s workers need more help than ever
Hawaiʻi’s workers keep our state and economy going through good times and bad. This upcoming Labor Day, they desperately need support to weather what’s become a storm of record unemployment.
The Micronesian community is being disproportionately harmed by COVID-19
Given the precarious situation in which COVID-19 places the Micronesian community, the State of Hawaiʻi must take steps to help in both the short and long term.
Unemployed workers in Hawaiʻi can’t wait for Congress
Hawaiʻi has more than 200,000 unemployed workers and contractors. The state must move now to offer immediate support for these workers and their families.
Hawaiʻi still needs federal relief funds
Without further federal aid to state and local governments, Hawai'i is projected to lose 23,700 private and public jobs by the end of 2021.
Hawaiʻi’s job losses are increasing economic inequity
Because of the way Hawaiʻi’s economy is structured, those who were already struggling to earn enough before COVID-19 are also the most likely to lose a job.
High levels of consumer debt add to Hawaiʻi household financial struggles
Hawaiʻi’s high debt load is usually invisible, but that may change soon as households become unable to carry this burden in the COVID-19 economy.
Hawaiʻi’s dependence on tourism explains our dramatic unemployment rate
The visitor industry, which accounts for a third of all jobs in Hawaiʻi, is heavily interconnected with global markets and susceptible to economic shock events like the outbreak of a global pandemic.
Avoid public sector cuts at all costs during a recession
as one engine of the economy—the private sector—slows down, it becomes necessary to increase government spending to power the second engine and keep the economy aloft.
Infrastructure projects put people to work today for a better tomorrow
The return on investment for infrastructure spending is always high. However, during economic downturns the economic benefits are magnified.
Keeping families afloat will keep our economy alive
Hawaiʻi is stronger when we invest in our people so they can better contribute to our economy and community.
Appleseed COVID-19 response will focus on assisting state in managing social safety net programs
During this crisis, Appleseed’s concern lies with the working families and children of Hawaiʻi.
Hawaiʻi’s racial pay gap has gotten worse since 2000
For decades, white Hawaiʻi residents have seen higher median wages than people of color. When racial and ethnic categories are broken down, the disparities are even more pronounced.