National Women’s Law Center data show that women are disproportionately fighting the Covid 19 pandemic, constituting 75% of hospital workers, 88% of psychiatric, nursing and home health workers, 66% of cashiers and retail salespeople in grocery stores, and 63% of fast food and counter workers. Not only are these low paying, but these jobs in the food service and home care industries are particularly likely to lack employer or union-based health insurance. As a result, these women on the front lines lack basic health insurance protection as well as ranking low on the totem pole for critically limited supplies of personal protective equipment.
