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New study reveals thousands of CT households earn less than living wage

A customer picks up a meal bag at a McDonald's drive-thru window,
Damian Dovarganes
/
AP
A customer picks up a meal bag at a McDonald's drive-thru window,

According to a new report from the United Way of Connecticut, thousands of households are struggling to earn a living wage.

The report focuses on people classified as ALICE — asset-limited, income-constrained and employed. This means they have jobs, but don't make enough money to support themselves and their children.

The annual report said nearly 40% of the state’s population can’t afford essentials like housing, utilities, child care and transportation.

Ashley Gaudiano is the senior vice president of community impact with the United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut. She said the best solution is to establish an annual child tax credit.

“The child tax credit is something that we know is a proven solution,” Gaudiano said. “So when, during COVID-19, the federal government enacted a child tax credit, we saw for the first time rates of child poverty fall. Unlike so many policy solutions where we've done the research and we think they're going to work, this one, we've sat and watched it work.”

The report also shows that ALICE households are more likely to be Black and Hispanic.

Personal care aides are the most likely occupation to qualify as ALICE, followed by nursing assistants, cooks and fast food workers.

Sara Anastasi is a news fellow at WSHU.