According to a report by the NGO Oxfam America, the United States ranks among the lowest of developed countries with the worst labor laws, wage policies, worker protections, and union rights.
Of the 38 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States ranks 36th in wage policies, 38th in worker protection, and 32nd in union rights, according to a report by the NGO Oxfam America.
The USA is "the only economically advanced nation that denies its workforce the fundamental right to paid leave," part of a series of policy decisions that fuel "extreme inequality" and "disproportionately harm people of color, women, immigrants, and refugees," says Kaitlyn Henderson, a researcher with Oxfam America's US National Policy Program.
The USA could look to countries like Spain as a model, where 16 weeks of paid parental leave are guaranteed to both parents.
The U.S. has a federal minimum wage that hasn't been increased in 14 years, and it only covers 29% of the national average wage, compared to countries like Belgium, where it covers 75%.
The U.S. lag behind other developed nations, primarily in Europe, such as Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, is a matter of political will. Therefore, the solution lies with legislators and activists who can use the index to identify opportunities for improvement that will benefit working families in the United States.