Challenges of factoring economic inequality into work-family programs Essay

Challenges of factoring economic inequality into work-family programs and policies - Essay Example They rely on government cash assistance, which is inadequate for providing even a minimal standard of living to these poor families. Therefore the biggest challenge for these families is that they must choose between health care and food, or between other necessary expenditures. Furthermore, many of these low-income families that are eligible for government cash or other assistance either do not know they are eligible, or find that the application process is very lengthy in receiving assistance (Mooney, Knox & Schacht, 2014). These challenges of excluding lower-income families from government policies and programs lead to certain implications. Around 67 percent of employed parents claim that they do not have enough time to spend time with their children, at the same time 63 percent of married workers complain that they cannot spend enough time with their partners (Bernstein & Kornbluh, 2015). Over half of all employees also claim that they do not even have enough time for themselves (Bernstein & Kornbluh, 2015). Such a tough routine of long working hours engenders feelings of stress and guilt that endangers the quality of family life, even as incomes rise (Bernstein & Kornbluh, 2015). Mothers reported that they spend an average of 5.5 hours a day caring their children in 1998, which is almost the same amount of time as mothers did in 1965 (Bernstein & Kornbluh, 2015). They accomplished this time with their children largely by cutting back on activities including sleep time, household work, leisure activities, and personal interest activities. In fact, it can be said that mothers who are a part of paid labour force forgo sleep equivalent to one night every week as opposed to mothers who are not a part of paid labor force (Bernstein & Kornbluh, 2015). Bernstein, J., & Kornbluh, K. (2005). Running Faster To Stay In Place: The Growth of Family Work Hours and Income (pp. 1-13). Washington DC: New American Foundation. Retrieved from