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Employment
Though the District's economy has boomed, the benefits have not reached a significant portion of the population. Jobs have increased, but the District still has a higher unemployment rate than most other large cities. The employment rates among African American residents and all residents with no more than a high school diploma are at their lowest levels in nearly 30 years.
Job TrainingThe single most important factor in the District's high unemployment rate is a mismatch between what the labor market demands and what low-income residents are prepared to do. Tests indicate that more than a third of D.C. adults are functionally illiterate. Approximately 10% lack the basic skills needed to obtain and hold an entry-level job. As part of our continuum of care, SOME operates a Center for Employment Training. The Center provides basic education services and intensive job training designed to preparing participants for local high-demand entry-level jobs that offer a living wage and benefits. SOME is advocating for:
Adult LiteracyMore funding is needed for adult literacy and work readiness services to give everyone a chance at earning a decent wage. Public funding currently supports instruction for only about 4% of D.C. adults whose literacy skills are at the lowest level. The District also needs to do a better job with the funds it has. Mayor Fenty has taken an important first step by developing a strategy for coordinating the many agencies that provide or fund education and training services and targeting their programs to local job opportunities and the needs of the District's low-income residents. SOME and our coalition partners are advocating for increased funding for adult literacy programs. Without basic literacy skills, individuals cannot secure the kinds of jobs that will lift them out of poverty nor, in many cases, secure the services to which they are entitled. Illiteracy tends to be passed on from one generation to the next, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Funding for adult literacy has increased in the past several years, but services are still reaching only a small portion of residents in need. Paid LeaveThe District also needs to address other factors that make it difficult for many residents to enter and remain in the workforce. For example, many low-wage workers are in jobs that provide no paid sick leave or, in some cases, any paid leave at all. The D.C. City Council recently took a first step toward addressing this problem by passing the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act. However, the Act falls far short of existing needs. SOME and our coalition partners will continue advocating for legislation that will guarantee all workers in the District a reasonable amount of paid sick and safe leave. No workers should have to forfeit wages—maybe even their jobs—when they or members of their family are sick or if they need to seek help because of domestic or sexual violence. ResourcesFacts & Figures Recent SOME & Client Testimony
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