Women and people of color are the most likely to say they are financially worse off today than before the pandemic began, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll, underscoring the struggles many Americans are still facing even as the broader economy shows signs of improvement, The Washington Post reported. A quarter of women say their family’s financial situation is worse today than before the coronavirus-related shutdowns began in March 2020, compared to 18 percent of men, the poll finds. And 27 percent of non-whites say they are worse off now vs. 18 percent of whites. The findings highlight the ongoing financial hardships that many families are facing a year into the global health crisis. Women and workers of color were far more likely to lose jobs when the pandemic took hold last spring and wiped out millions of service-sector jobs in restaurants, hotels, spas, salons and non-urgent health-care fields. Women have also borne the majority of the child-care responsibilities as schools and day-care centers shuttered and classes moved online, requiring additional parental involvement. In follow-up interviews, several women told The Washington Post they were forced to leave jobs to care for children, or they had to take lower-paying jobs that gave them more flexibility. A few women also cited rising costs of rent and food, which caused some to fall behind on bills even if they were able to keep their jobs. About 1 in 5 Americans overall say their family’s financial situation is worse than before the shutdowns, while more than 6 in 10 adults say their financial situation is about the same as before the pandemic.
