Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Unemployment and Family Child Care
On June 9th the US Senate Finance Committee held a hearing about how COVID-19 created challenges for people trying to claim unemployment benefits.
Although the hearing was not exclusively about family child care, much of the four-hour hearing focused on the problems providers are having with filing for unemployment.
"Family child care providers reported being rejected for unemployment benefits (either partial or full) for a variety of reasons: working too many hours, not sufficient hour history, earning too much income, not earning enough income, and not looking for other employment. Many reported frustration with navigating the system and mounting concern about paying bills in the absence of unemployment benefits."
This, according to an article written by child care advocate Mary Beth Salomone Testa. See below for her full article.
The fact that family child care played such a prominent role in this hearing was due to Mary Beth, Grace Reef from the Early Learning Policy Group, LLC and other national advocates. We distributed a quick national survey to find out what providers were facing when applying for unemployment benefits. Over 650 providers responded in one day. (Thanks to those providers who responded to my posting of this survey on my Facebook page.) Your responses definitely helped make the case that the Senate needs to take action to help family child care.
We hope that Congress will take up this issue in a bill set to be introduced in July. I will keep you informed about this.
Here's the article by Mary Beth Salomone Testa summarizing what happened at the Senate hearing
U.S. Senate Hearing on Unemployment Compensation This Week in Washington: The Voice of Family Child Care Providers Was Heard
Under the CARES Act approved by Congress in March 2020, many self-employed individuals including family child care providers impacted by COVID-19 became eligible for the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program as well as a new federal $600 supplemental weekly unemployment payment. Unfortunately, this has not been as smooth as intended and the assistance is needed urgently for family child care providers who may have gone without pay for weeks and months or are operating with fewer children and therefore less income.
Advocates in Washington, DC heard from family child care providers and wanted to know more so that they could amplify your voices and share your experience with people who could do something about it.
On Friday, June 5th we learned there would be a hearing in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on June 9th. This Committee wanted to learn to learn more about challenges with COVID-19 unemployment assistance. This was not a hearing about child care only, but thanks to you, family child care was on the minds of Senators and Senate staff who play a crucial role, too.
Here’s what happened:
- I shared a quick “24-hour pulse read” survey related to family child care home provider challenges in accessing unemployment compensation. Thank you to the 668 family child care providers from 41 states who participated. This is a truly amazing response for a one-day survey on a Saturday.
- Family child care providers reported being rejected for unemployment benefits (either partial or full) for a variety of reasons: working too many hours, not sufficient hour history, earning too much income, not earning enough income, and not looking for other employment. Many reported frustration with navigating the system and mounting concern about paying bills in the absence of unemployment benefits.
- Advocates quickly turned data into action to ask Congress to support family child care in successfully accessing unemployment assistance.
Thanks to you, advocates were able to convey important details, data and stories to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in time for the hearing. Advocates continued to engage in discussions with Senate staff throughout the week – responding to staff questions, providing additional information and examples, and helping to shape questions that Senators could request U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Scalia to respond to in writing. This is important because written responses from the U.S. Department of Labor will be used by the Committee to identify any technical changes that may need to be made. This is one step but a valuable one on the road to solutions.
It is likely that Congress will consider legislation in July to provide further assistance during the current public health crisis. Any changes to unemployment are likely to be included in that legislation – which is what made the hearing this week so important. Hearings are how Congress gathers information and from that information, how options to change the law are possible.
Survey responses really helped Senators and their staff understand family child care provider challenges.
Advocates wanted to be sure you know that they listened and heard you and that your time advocating for yourself and your profession mattered once again.
Here is just a selection of the stories family child care providers shared, which were shared with the Senate Finance Committee:
“I was told that because I worked over 32 hours/week I was not eligible despite the amount of money I make. I sent out a letter explaining that yes I was open but I was caring only for 4 kiddos out of 9 kids that I used to have prior to COVID-19. Still I was denied.” -Minnesota
“They denied me because I answered ‘no’ to one question: “are you willing to seek other employment elsewhere”? I have a legal contract to provide childcare to one part-time child. Seeking other work isn’t an option. They told me I am ineligible because “I have removed myself from the workforce”. I have protested this determination. But it’s still stalled, and I cannot reach anyone for help. 10 weeks of waiting, still no benefits and no assistance to sort out the ineligible determination even though I’ve reached out to my state senator and congressmen both a month ago.” – Michigan
“My application was approved, but my weekly claim was denied.” – Massachusetts
“They said PUA was for the unemployed & because I was always open that I did not qualify. They did not ask me if I had lost children. Assumed I'm working & making money. Unemployment office never asked if I lost children and that my income had declined to 50% & needed help. Spent weeks & weeks writing, emailing them, faxing them, on phone to be rejected over & over with questions that could not be simply answered with a yes or no. Their entire system was horribly set up & not helpful to many of us. I needed financial help as had lost half of my business but unemployment was no help at all. Abandoned by them as well like many other entities when we needed them the most. Never have I ever applied but now know that they are not there to help anyone either. Just very, very upset and know that many of us are on our own.” – Missouri
Additional resources
The following fact sheets have been shared with members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee:
Family Child Care Provider Challenges with Unemployment Compensation Under the Cares Act, May 19, 2020
Family Child Care Providers: Struggling to Access Unemployment Compensation Across the U.S., June 7, 2020
Tom Copeland - www.tomcopelandblog.com
