Canary careers

The Federal Reserve estimates that nearly half of American families cannot pay for an unexpected $400 expense without borrowing or selling something. Small shocks derail financially fragile households; Pew finds that 30% of households experience at least one shock annually that causes sustained material hardship. Further, financial strain among workers exacts enormous costs on businesses through lower productivity and worker retention -- the Financial Health Network estimates the bottom line cost to the employer at $7,000 per worker per year. These challenges are even more evident and pressing as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on the financial health of workers across the country. We hypothesize that small cash grants, delivered in the right way, at the right time, can drive positive changes -- for both workers and employers -- that far outweigh their upfront costs.