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Economic recovery hinges on women in the workforce but many struggle with childcare
Advocates say lawmakers should consider childcare as critical as concrete infrastructure
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Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”
Airdate: Monday, August 16, 2021
One in five people who haven’t returned to work during the ongoing pandemic say it’s because they can’t find affordable, reliable childcare. Women workers have been especially impacted.
The effort to create more jobs and improve the nation’s “traditional” infrastructure is playing out in Congress, now, as Democratic lawmakers work to push through the Biden administration’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill.
Not included in that bill is childcare. Children’s advocates say that is a mistake because the “care infrastructure” is “key pillar” holding up the US economy.
Appearing on Smart Talk to make their case are Stephanie Doliveira VP Human Resources at Sheetz, Inc., and co-chair of Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission and Andrea Heberlein, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission.
