Poverty Research & Policy: Daily Summaries Delivered

Kess Ballentine and Meredith Slopen on the Impact of Points-Based Attendance Policies on Workers

Points-based attendance policies are punitive employer systems that track employee reliability by assigning points for unplanned absences or lateness. Accumulation of points can lead to disciplinary action or termination, which often has greater impact on people with health issues or caregiving responsibilities. In this podcast episode, Dr. Kess Ballentine and Dr. Meredith Slopen join us to discuss their recently published papers that examine how points-based policies affect workers. They discuss two papers: Points-Based Attendance Systems Associated With Presenteeism Despite Paid Sick Leave Protections and The Prevalence and Consequences of Punitive Time and Attendance Policies in the Food and Retail Industries. Kess Ballentine is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Wayne State University. Meredith Slopen is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook University.

Rourke O'Brien on the Impact of Spending by Different Levels of Government

There has been a lot of research on the impact of levels of public expenditures on a variety of social outcomes, including health and economic mobility. But beyond the dollars spent, some researchers say that we should also be considering what level of government oversees that spending. For this episode, Dr. Rourke O'Brien joins us to discuss his recent work on measuring fiscal centralization, and its tangible effects on people's lives. Rourke O'Brien is Associate Professor of Sociology & and of Public Health & Health Policy at Yale University and previously served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He is also an IRP Affiliate.

Luke Shaefer on the RX Kids Cash Transfer Program

Unconditional cash transfers programs are being piloted across the country. For this episode, Dr. Luke Shaefer shares his work with RX Kids—the nation's first-ever, community-wide, prenatal and infant cash prescription program, which is taking place in Michigan. This innovative model uses a mix of TANF funds in combination with philanthropic dollars to offer support to all expecting and new moms in several low-income Michigan communities. Luke Shaefer is the Hermann and Amalie Kohn Professor of Social Justice and Social Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He is also a Professor of Social Work, and the Director of Poverty Solutions, also at the University of Michigan. In addition, he is the co-director of RX Kids and is also an IRP Affiliate.

IRP Book Talk: Diana Hernandez and Jennifer Laird on Energy Insecurity

Millions of households in the United States struggle to maintain access to the energy necessary to heat and cool their home, to have power to cook and have hot water, and to literally keep the lights on. And a disconnection—or even the threat of having your power turned off—can be devastating. For this episode, Dr. Diana Hernandez and Dr. Jennifer Laird join us to discuss their new book, "Powerless: The People's Struggle for Energy." They share their research on the impact of energy insecurity and provide detailed policy and practice recommendations to address it. Diana Hernandez is an associate professor of sociomedical sciences at in the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, as well as co-Director of the Energy Opportunity Lab at the Columbia Center for Global Energy Policy. Jennifer Laird is an assistant professor in the department of sociology at Lehman College.

IRP Book Talk: Jane Waldfogel on Child Benefits: A Smart Investment for America's Future

Alexandra Murphy on Measuring Transportation Insecurity

Material hardship like food or housing insecurity or inadequate access to medical care are routinely measured. But transportation insecurity has not been, despite its significance in the lives of people with low incomes, and the likelihood that it intersects with other forms of hardship. For this episode, Dr. Alexandra Murphy joins us to discuss her recent co-authored paper, titled, "How Does Transportation Insecurity Compare and Relate to Other Indicators of Material Hardship in the U.S.?" She shares her work constructing and implementing the Transportation Insecurity Index, and explains how it is being used across the country. Alex Murphy is a sociologist at the University of Michigan where she is an Assistant Research Scientist at Poverty Solutions in the Ford School of Public Policy and is the Associate Director of Social Science Research at Mcity.

IRP Book Talk: Casey Nichols on Poverty Rebels: Black and Brown Protest in Post–Civil Rights America

The 1960s and 1970s were a time of tremendous change politically and culturally in the United States. Federal legislation and policy enshrined voting rights and implemented measures to increase equality, but there were still many areas in which those changes fell short for people of color and those living in poverty. In her new book, "Poverty Rebels: Black and Brown Protest in Post–Civil Rights America," Dr. Casey Nichols examines the history and legacy of local, state, and national activism through the lens of Black and Brown communities in Los Angeles between 1964 and 1979. Casey D. Nichols is assistant professor of history at Texas State University. She is also an IRP Emerging Poverty Fellow.

Lucie Schmidt on How The Social Safety Net Has Changed Since Welfare Reform

The Clinton-era Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 was a significant reform of the welfare system as it had been known. In this episode, Dr. Lucie Schmidt draws on her co-authored paper, "Did Welfare Reform End the Safety Net as We Knew It? The Record since 1996," to describe the safety net landscape before 1996, and how specific programs and overall coverage have changed since welfare reform was put in place. Lucie Schmidt is the Robert A. Woods Professor of Economics at Smith College and is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. She is also an IRP Affiliate.