Medical Coverage, Wages and Hours, and Benefits Security Top Priorities for Voters in Midterm Election

Facing a critical congressional midterm election in just more than two weeks, the majority of Americans planning to vote say they would be more likely to back a candidate in the upcoming midterm election if they prioritized medical coverage (69%), wages and hours (65%), employee benefits security (62%), family and medical leave (60%), workplace safety, and health (58%) or equal opportunity (57%).

This is according to a survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals conducted from Sept. 13-15, 2022, among more than 2,000 adults ages 18+.

More than 7 in 10 Black voters (71%) say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who prioritizes equal opportunity (compared to only 59% of Hispanics and 56% of whites), and Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who prioritized any of these issues.

Biggest Challenges in the Workforce Today

More than 2 in 5 Americans say that rising healthcare costs (44%) is one of the biggest challenges facing the workforce today. Equal pay (40%), lack of training/upskilling (36%), and discrimination/harassment (35%) also are reported as some of the biggest hurdles, along with limited/no paid leave (30%), and workplace safety and health (29%). Fewer cite privacy issues (18%) or lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training (11%).

Boomers/seniors (ages 56+) (53%) are more likely than their younger counterparts (Gen X ages 18-26, 44%; millennials ages 27-40, 36%; Gen Z ages 41-55, 37%) to feel rising healthcare costs is one of the biggest challenges facing today’s workforce. On the other hand, Gen Z, and to some extent, millennials, are more likely than their older counterparts to say the biggest challenges are limited/no paid leave, privacy issues and lack of DEI training.

Black adults are more likely than white adults to say these are one of the biggest challenges facing the workforce today:

  • Discrimination/harassment (42% vs. 33%)
  • Workplace safety and health (38% vs. 27%)
  • Privacy issues (22% vs. 16%)

Issues Government Officials Must Address

Survey respondents believe wages and hours (52%), employee benefits security (44%) or family and medical leave (38%) should be one of the government’s top three priorities when it comes to addressing issues facing the workforce.

Compared to their younger counterparts, boomers/seniors are more likely to say workplace safety and health and immigration should be one of the government’s top three priorities, but nearly 1 in 5 Gen Z (19%) say one of the government’s top three focuses should be privacy.

Nearly half of Black individuals (47%) say one of the government’s top three priorities to address in regard to issues facing the workforce should be equal opportunity.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say wages and hours (57% vs. 46%), family and medical leave (44% vs. 32%), and equal opportunity (44% vs. 29%) should be one of the government’s top concerns. On the other hand, Republicans are nearly twice as likely as Democrats to say one of the government’s top three priorities should be immigration (30% vs. 16%).

“Casting a vote for a candidate who represents the best interests of the larger population is one of the greatest privileges afforded to Americans,” Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. “It’s apparent that voters are facing several hardships in various employment situations. When the time comes for newly elected officials to take office, I hope these representatives will take the time to listen to their constituents’ concerns.”

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Sept. 13-15, 2022, among 2,076 adults ages 18 and older. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income and propensity to be online to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval.  For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

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