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Massachusetts Cash Assistance – A MassBudget Data Droplet
The cash assistance program was created to be a reliable back-up for the lowest-income families; today the program reaches only a small share of families …
At a Crossroads Created by COVID: Executive Summary
At a Crossroads Created by COVID: Families Moving Along the Road to Opportunity in Massachusetts Executive Summary Read the full report here. PART 1: THE …
At a Crossroads Created by COVID: Families Moving Along the Road to Opportunity in Massachusetts
We may have promised the children of Massachusetts that they can arrive at a bright tomorrow full of opportunity, but we have allowed many obstacles to get in the way of that promise for too many of our children. On top of that, these past two years have created new obstacles, and have also put Massachusetts at an important crossroads. The twin health and economic emergencies of the pandemic and subsequent downturn have made long-standing racial and economic inequities worse.
ALL JOBS & THE ECONOMY REPORTS
Who Pays? Low and Middle Earners in Massachusetts Pay Larger Share of their Incomes in Taxes
Taxes are the main way communities pay for the things we do together. Taxes pay for essential programs and infrastructure we take for granted, like fire protection, public education, and health inspectors; roads, bridges, and public transit; and the support for people facing hard times. Examining how much people at different income levels pay in taxes is important when considering the fairness of tax policy.
Keeping Massachusetts Working for Workers: Policy Gains in 2018 and Possibilities Beyond
For Labor Day 2018, this brief looks at the gains Massachusetts workers made in 2018 — passing a $15 minimum wage, creating a paid family and medical leave program, and increasing the state's Earned Income Tax Credit to 30 percent of the federal credit — as well a handful of other options for making further improvements to the lives of workers and their families across the commonwealth.
FAQ: The Massachusetts $15 Minimum Wage Proposal
This FAQ analyzes the minimum wage provisions of House Bill 4640. These provisions would increase the Massachusetts minimum wage from $11 an hour to $15 by 2023. The bill would also increase the minimum wage that employers are obligated to pay tipped workers from $3.75 to $6.75 by 2023.
Tending to the Nest Egg: Plan Could Help Nonprofit Workers Build Retirement Security
Many Massachusetts workers are unable to save enough money for themselves to retire on. This is partly because setting up and managing retirement plans is often too expensive for small and employers. In late 2017, Massachusetts launched a state-administered 401(k) plan that can begin to address some of these challenges. Small nonprofits, with 20 employees or fewer, can participate in the plan.
Time to Care: The Health Effects of Paid Family & Medical Leave
In healthy communities, children are more likely to be born healthy and can grow up to be healthy adults. When people are healthy they are better able to reach their full potential and make lasting contributions to society. Health is influenced by a variety of complex factors, such as where one lives, access to healthy foods, and affordability of health care. Policies that address the ability of workers to care for family members, like Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML), can also shape and influence health.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to the $15 Minimum Wage
This brief discusses commonly asked questions surrounding a $15 minimum wage in Massachusetts.
