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United Way initiative urges employers to meet needs of ALICE households in Hamilton County
Summary
Jessica Pilcher of United for Working Families outlined the ALICE methodology and urged employers to adopt five pillars for family‑friendly workplaces, saying 9,572 Hamilton County households with children currently face financial hardship and that 36% of residents fall into the ALICE category.
Jessica Pilcher, director of United for Working Families at the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, told attendees the ALICE research framework ("asset limited, income constrained, employed") shows many working families struggle to cover basics.
"The number of households that have children in them that are living in financial hardship ... is 9,572 households," Pilcher said, using local ALICE data to argue employers should adopt family‑friendly policies. She said 36% of Hamilton County residents fall into the ALICE category and emphasized that the federal poverty line (which she described as $27,000 for a family of four in Tennessee) does not reflect actual costs for childcare, healthcare, utilities or local price variation.
Pilcher presented United for Working Families's five pillars for employer action — wellness, flexibility, economic stability, childcare and family assistance, and social connectedness — and cited policy examples such as paid time off, reasonable/necessary absence policies, student loan assistance, predictable scheduling and on‑site childcare or childcare stipends. She promoted a 12‑hour employer training cohort, "Alice at Work," that awards SHRM credits and aims to equip five leaders from each participating employer to design supports for employees in financial hardship.
Pilcher also cited workforce statistics she said were relevant to employers' hiring decisions: that 70% of common jobs in Tennessee pay less than $20 an hour and that stability budgets vary widely by household size, arguing that benefits and predictable schedules are as important as wages in creating household stability. She encouraged attendees to connect with United Way for resources and follow‑up materials.
The presenter said United Way would share permitted presentations and videos after the session and invited questions and follow‑up contact from local employers.
