Overcoming Barriers to Employment Success for ALICE Workers

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Imagine working long hours every day yet still struggling to stay afloat financially because of low pay and having almost no time or energy left over for anything else — including searching for a better job, which you know would solve multiple problems for your household. Now imagine also knowing that even if you had the time and energy for a thorough job hunt, it would be nearly impossible to get a higher-quality position because of socioeconomic obstacles that all-too-paradoxically block your path.

This is the case for many Americans classified as Asset-Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE). ALICE workers are those who hold down one or more jobs but still struggle to afford the basic costs of living. These workers form the backbone of our economy, serving in essential roles across various industries, yet they continue to face numerous barriers to career advancement and, by extension, financial stability.

Employment barriers for low-income families are especially harmful because they prevent people from breaking the cycle of financial insecurity and from relieving all the burdens it places not only on them but on entire communities and the nation as a whole.

Why It's So Hard to Get Ahead for ALICE Workers

Here's what everyone should know about the roadblocks that keep almost half of all Americans from reaching their full potential.

Educational Gaps

For Students in low-income communities, educational gaps start in elementary school and persist throughout high school, making it difficult to graduate, let alone gain acceptance into college.

Young people in underinvested areas experience high rates of absenteeism and low levels of engagement with their grade school education, often for reasons that stem directly from resource scarcity. Some may struggle with English as a non-primary language and lack the literacy levels needed for basic educational attainment. Students in these communities also tend to have limited awareness of career options and paths, especially if they don’t have any family members who have attended college to get a better job or entered lucrative careers.

For those who do qualify to attend college, the options can feel equally constricted: many can't afford the high cost of a traditional four-year degree (which is staggering for middle-income families as well) and they understandably may not see the sense in taking on financially crippling student loan debt to bridge this gap. As a result, thousands of young adults are automatically shut out of many high-paying jobs that require one or more college degrees.

Skills Training Gaps and Job Search Resources

Another obstacle for adolescent and adult ALICE workers alike is the lack of access to specialized training programs that can help them qualify for high-quality jobs in less time and for less tuition. These individuals may not live within a reasonable distance of a career center or trade school and may not have access to reliable transportation to get here.

Further, many ALICE workers may not have access to the high-speed internet or updated internet-ready devices that would allow them to search for jobs or job-related resources online. Consequently, they are missing out not only on job listings but also on resume and interview preparation assistance, which are crucial for navigating the job market. 

Limited Networking Opportunities

Networking is a key component of career advancement. However, ALICE workers often simply don't have the connections that can lead to career opportunities. For example, skilled immigrants - face challenges in accessing networks that could help them leverage their skills in the US job market.

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Economic Insecurity and Employment Instability

Economic insecurity, such as the inability to afford child care, significantly impacts the ability of ALICE workers - disproportionately women and single mothers - to seek and maintain full-time employment. These barriers often keep workers in a cycle of low-paying, unstable jobs that do not offer opportunities for advancement.

Lack of Supportive Work Environments 

Supportive work environments are crucial for career advancement. These include employers and company policies that provide benefits like:

• Professional development training
• Flexible work schedules
• Work-from-home opportunities
• Adequate paid time off, including family and sick leave
• General work-life balance

However, ALICE workers often find themselves in low-paying jobs that don't offer support for skill development or career progression. They are more likely to work at in-person jobs whose related commutes, stagnant nature, and lack of adequate time off make it difficult for them to juggle work, life, education, and career advancement projects. 

Benefits Cliffs

You may have heard the view, commonly held by uninformed middle- and upper-class individuals, that low-income earners would rather collect government benefits than work at jobs that would allow them to fully support themselves and "pull their weight" in society. Did you know that it's partly the structuring of the assistance programs themselves that often places ALICE earners in a frustrating financial conundrum?

The phenomenon of "benefits cliffs" occurs when a slight increase in income leads to a disproportionate loss of government benefits for income-constrained workers, such as healthcare, food assistance, and childcare subsidies. This discourages ALICE workers from seeking higher-paying jobs or working more hours, especially when the value of the lost benefits far outweighs the value of the additional income they would earn. 

Systemic Discrimination

Discrimination based on race, gender, ability, or socioeconomic status further exacerbates the challenges faced by ALICE workers. Systemic biases in hiring, pay, and promotion practices obstruct equitable career advancement for countless Americans in historically marginalized demographics.

The path to career advancement for ALICE workers is fraught with challenges that require multifaceted solutions. By addressing educational gaps, improving job search resources, expanding networking opportunities, mitigating economic insecurities, smoothing benefits cliffs, fostering supportive work environments, and combating systemic discrimination, we can create a more equitable and prosperous workforce for all.

In the meantime, workforce development programs and community-based human services organizations like United Way, which offers essential information resources like 211, play a critical role in providing key support and resources.

Find Career Advancement Opportunities With United Way of York County

United Way of York County in Pennsylvania is assisting hardworking households on their journey toward financial stability. In order to meet the needs of the ALICE population, we are embarking on an issue-focused strategy to create transformational impact for working households by focusing on two key barriers: childcare and transportation.

We offer many resources through PA 211, a free, confidential health and human services information and referral hotline. Learn about how to use PA 211 to access resources such as housing assistance. Contact us today to get the services you need for a financially successful future!