Employment in New Jersey

In Genesis, work is to be the means through which basic needs might be met, as human beings “till and keep” the garden in which God has placed them (Genesis 2:15). Work is seen not as an end in itself, but as a means for sustaining humans and the rest of creation. Yet, often in economic systems workers are undercompensated for their hours of labor, creating an unjust economy of dehumanizing conditions and sinful systems. Injustice often deprives people of the fruits of their work (Proverbs 13:23), while others benefit instead.

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The ELCA, in its 1999 Social Statement “Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All,” agreed that through human decisions and actions, God is at work in economic life. Economic life is intended to be a means through which God’s purposes for humankind and creation are served. God intends for all humans to have access to food, housing, health care, and the opportunity for dignified work to acquire these basic needs.  

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God’s reign intersects earthly life, transforming us and how we view the systems of this world, shifting our perspective on economic life. Our faith in God provides a vantage point for critiquing systems of this world which fall short of what God intends for God’s children.

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Here in New Jersey we have become comfortable talking about the “working poor.” These are two words that do not belong together. When people must work two or three jobs to earn enough money to manage the cost of living, we as people of faith must cry out for justice. Before this current economic downturn, it was estimated that nearly 40% of all NJ households struggled each month to make ends meet.  (Learn more here)  

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Economic life in New Jersey advantages some while disadvantaging others. Racial disparities in hourly wages have not only persisted over the last four decades, but have actually expanded, as the wages for white workers have increased more rapidly than for Black and Latinx workers. (See full report here.) In addition, while the overall gender wage gap in New Jersey has narrowed since 1979, women continue to earn lower wages than men, and Black and Latinx women earn less than white women. Workers in frontline industries are more likely to have incomes below 200 percent of the poverty line than the workforce overall. 

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The advantages of lifting people out of poverty extend far beyond the household, however. In lowering the poverty rate, we increase the tax base, boost consumer spending, and decrease need for social programs.