New Policy Brief on Families With Nonstandard Work Schedules
Chicago – Illinois Action for Children just released a new Policy Brief: Child Care Needs of Families with Nonstandard and Unstable Schedules. The brief spotlights the child care needs of low-income families with nonstandard and unstable work schedules. Working evening, weekend, and variable hours has become almost standard in today’s economy, especially in retail, janitorial, health and food service sectors where many low-income parents find employment. Moreover, employers increasingly control labor costs through “just-in-time” scheduling practices. These scheduling practices can not only create logistical difficulties and stress for parents, but also for children and child care providers, whose care schedules mirror the instability of parental work schedules.