Drawing upon the work of multiple Academy Task Forces, this resource makes key findings and policy options accessible to advocates for economic security, state and federal policymakers, and journalists covering relevant issues.
The toolkit contains fact sheets, infographics, and commentaries that reflect a broad range of expertise and provide data points and messaging on how enhancements to social insurance programs can strengthen Pathways to Economic Security for all, with a focus on alleviating longstanding inequities.
Social Insurance During the Pandemic
This fact sheet looks at how the United States social insurance system performed during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and ways it might be strengthened. Includes four infographics about unemployment insurance, Medicare, and workers’ compensation.
Social Insurance Has Proven an Essential Lifeline for People with Disabilities During Tough Times
This essay by Nicole LeBlanc, a disability policy advocate and self-advocate, discusses the ways that COVID-era stimulus checks and the closure of Social Security offices nationwide affected people with disabilities.
Older Workers Face Unique Challenges Accessing Unemployment Insurance
This fact sheet addresses ways the unemployment insurance system is ill-structured to meet the unique needs of older workers and suggests potential reforms.
Acknowledgments
The Academy gratefully acknowledges the Chairs of its four major Study Panels — Economic Security (Renée M. Landers, Jason Fichtner), COVID-19 (Henry Aaron, Katherine Baicker), Unemployment Insurance (Till von Wachter, Ben Gitis), and Older Workers Retirement Security (Julia Simon-Mishel, Barbara Bovbjerg).