Low-income Hispanic parents often face multiple stressful working conditions

A substantial proportion of working low-income Latino parents face stressful working conditions that may negatively affect adult, child, and family well-being. These stressful job characteristics include low wages, nonstandard work hours, and a lack of access to employer-sponsored health insurance, according to a research brief from The National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families.

The vast majority of low-income working Latino parents report at least one stressful job characteristic, and up to a third report having at least three, which can have a negative effect on parental well-being, increase family conflict, and limit the amount of time parents have to spend with their children.

Policies and supports that focus on better aligning work conditions with family needs may improve family and child outcomes and could alleviate some of the stressors associated with parents’ job circumstances.