See what this Rutgers study says about Latina immigrants in the workforce

A new report from Rutgers University details the working lives of Latina immigrants, and says they are just “scraping by” in New Jersey. 

Many Latina immigrants fill essential frontline work for low pay, and that leaves little time or money for anything outside of family and work. 

“These women are doing the work that no one else wants to do, like cleaning homes and working in factories,” said Glenda Gracia-Rivera, the report’s lead author. “The gender pay gap is well known, but this report goes beyond the numbers to demonstrate what life is really like for Latina immigrants in our state. The findings are frankly alarming.”

Latinas lack benefits and insurance

Overall, Latinas make up 9% of New Jersey’s workforce, while Latina immigrants make up 5% of the state’s workforce, according to the study released Monday from the Rutgers Center for Women and Work in partnership with the Latino Action Network Foundation. 

Latina workers often lack access to employer benefits like paid time off, retirement plans and health insurance, according to the study. They cited limited knowledge of English and unreliable public transit as some of their biggest struggles. Many had to take care of their children after school. 

Many women said they didn’t know about New Jersey’s 40 hours earned sick leave per year and the state’s paid family leave laws, which guarantee time off to bond with a newborn or care for a seriously injured family member. Most women said they showed up to work even when sick to avoid losing a day’s pay. 

“With my son, I had a C-section and had to return to work after a week because if not, I wouldn’t be able to make it financially; I wouldn't get paid,” said one worker in the study, through a translator, who’s paid $7.70 an hour.  

How they did the Rutgers study on Latinas

Rutgers relied on interviews from 69 women who received services for Latina immigrants from Hispanic Women’s Resource Centers, which are based in Asbury Park, Camden, Dover and Newark, and provide community health, education and employment services. 

Only two of the participants said they had any money for leisure activities with their families and only four participants had any time, according to the study.

Many women said they earn “just enough money for basic expenses,” though nearly half “are stretching themselves even thinner by sending money to struggling family members in the U.S. or in their home country.” 

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One respondent said in the survey that “It is an expectation that we are going to help our families get ahead, there is no other way.”

According to the study, the number of clients surged during the pandemic, from 209 in 2016-17 to 3,309 in 2020-21. The study calls for expanding the list of services offered by these centers, and for the expansion of services in Passaic County. 

“This study highlights the important work Hispanic Women’s Resource Centers perform in Latino communities across the state, addressing the wage gap and helping families enter the middle class,” said Jesselly de la Cruz, executive director of the Latino Action Network Foundation. “The case for investing in New Jersey’s Latina women is clear.”