Published in Project Syndicate

By Tom Perriello, Sarita Gupta

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed deep vulnerabilities in our economies and societies. Just as those with pre-existing health problems are more likely than their healthy counterparts to face serious complications and even death if they become infected, workers and small businesses are most at risk from the pandemic-induced economic downturn. This disparity is particularly pronounced in the United States.

To be sure, the COVID-19 crisis is threatening the livelihoods of workers everywhere. But in most developed economies, social protections—including guaranteed paid family leave and sickness benefits, affordable health care, robust pension systems, and effective labor unions—are softening the blow.

That is not the case in the US.

The Ford Foundation

The Ford Foundation is an independent organization working to address inequality and build a future grounded in justice. For more than 85 years, it has supported visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. Today, with an endowment of $16 billion, the foundation has headquarters in New York and 10 regional offices across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

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