The Effects of the Global Pandemic on Illinois Workers: An Analysis of Essential, Face-to-Face, and Remote Workers During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a range of structural economic and public health inequities. On the one hand, the lowest-paid workers–higher shares of whom are women and people of color–are generally at the highest risk of becoming infected, unemployed, and uninsured. On the other hand, many middle-class workers have kept the economy functioning. By bringing new recognition to the value of and challenges faced by both essential and face-to-face workers, the state’s response to COVID-19 may also offer a policy roadmap that can enable Illinois to create a post-pandemic future that protects workers’ rights and rebuilds the middle class.