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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Eighteen to 34 year olds comprise 48 percent of
3our civilian labor workforce across the United States and are
4heavily employed in precarious industries, including retail,
5leisure, hospitality, and part-time work; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Seventy percent of young adults are living
7paycheck to paycheck; and
 
8    WHEREAS, During a recession, the unemployment rate for
9younger workers often rises faster and higher compared with
10other workers; and
 
11    WHEREAS, In the State of Illinois, employers are free to
12terminate workers at any time without providing a reason,
13preventing workers from accessing reliable employment and
14preventing workers from improving their workplaces; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Median wages have declined or have remained
16unchanged in the last decade in the industries employing young
17adults; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Workers at the 10th percentile saw only 3.3
19percent cumulative growth in hourly wages between 1979 and
202019; meanwhile, workers at the 50th percentile saw 15.1

 

 

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1percent growth over that period, and workers at the 90th
2percentile saw a staggering 44.3 percent growth; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Not all employers offer paid family and sick
4leave, disproportionately impacting young adults and working
5families in Black and Latinx households; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Eighty-three percent of those workers who
7contracted COVID-19 reported they did not receive paid sick
8leave from their employer nor any government assistance, such
9as unemployment benefits; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Unstable, unpredictable, and rigid scheduling
11practices disproportionately affect low-wage workers, heavily
12skewed with working young adults, making it nearly impossible
13for them to balance work responsibilities and personal needs;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, Unpredictable schedules are associated with
16financial insecurity, high stress, poor health outcomes, and
17less time spent with family; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Fluctuation in hours and compensation make it
19extremely difficult for young adults to earn enough money to
20live without going in debt; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Fifty-seven percent of those who remain in the
2Illinois restaurant industry say they are leaving due to
3unlivable wages; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Economic barriers, such as child care,
5transportation, safe housing, and food, impact young adults at
6a higher rate, creating difficulty in finding and obtaining a
7high quality job; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs
9are not representative of all demographics and communities in
10Illinois; and
 
11    WHEREAS, According to a 2020 report from the Illinois
12Department of Labor, only four percent of Illinois apprentices
13are women, and 29 percent are Black and Latinx; therefore, be
14it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17for young workers in Illinois to thrive in a recovering
18economy, we urge the Illinois General Assembly to adopt a
19Young Workers' Bill of Rights, which includes the rights to:
20        (1) Inherit an economy that provides them the security
21    of a secure wage, a stable work schedule, employer
22    contributions, worker's compensation, and a pathway to

 

 

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1    consider unionization regardless of their employment
2    classification;
3        (2) Maintain their income and employment in the event
4    of illness and life changes;
5        (3) Afford safe, clean housing, food, transportation,
6    and child care; and
7        (4) Have exposure and access to early career
8    experiences regardless of their socioeconomic background;
9    and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That we urge Illinois leaders to expand the
11availability of youth apprenticeships in low-wealth
12communities and develop regulations to ensure young adults in
13all industries receive monetary compensation; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That we urge policymakers to actively involve
16young workers and advocates in the policymaking processes that
17determine the economic prosperity of future generations.