The National Employment Law Project (NELP) recently released an April jobs report, revealing a slowdown in job growth and an increase in the unemployment rate to 3.9%. The report emphasized the continued importance of unemployment insurance for children and families. According to NELP's research, parental unemployment can have detrimental effects on children's health, education, and future career prospects.

According to recent data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, despite a perceived strong job market in 2023, 4.0 million families had at least one unemployed member. This figure included over 1.3 million families with children under 18. The data also revealed that Black and Latinx families experienced higher rates of unemployment compared to white families. Single parents, particularly single mothers, faced disproportionately higher unemployment rates, as per a press release by NELP.

NELP further reported that robust unemployment insurance (UI) benefits could help alleviate the negative impact on children's well-being caused by parental unemployment. The organization linked more generous UI benefits to improved infant health, birth outcomes, and educational attainment for the children of unemployed parents.

"Economic growth is slowing and 6.5 million workers were unemployed in April," said Rebecca Dixon, president and CEO of NELP. "Losing a job is a crisis for workers who experience it no matter what the larger economic situation is. And unemployment can be devastating not only for workers but for the economic security and well-being of their entire families. A strong unemployment insurance system is essential to prevent job loss from pushing families into deeper economic hardship."

Founded in 1969, NELP is an advocacy group committed to creating a fair and inclusive economy where workers enjoy extensive rights and quality employment opportunities. Working with various local, state, and national partners, NELP strives to achieve its mission through legal and policy initiatives, research efforts, capacity-building activities, and communication strategies according to the About webpage provided by NELP.