Pilar Gonalons-Pons, Associate Professor of Sociology, was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) in Sociology grant for her project on, "The Care Work System as a Fundamental Cause of Economic Inequalities"

Pilar Gonalons-Pons, Associate Professor of Sociology, was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) in Sociology grant for her project on, "The Care Work System as a Fundamental Cause of Economic Inequalities." 

This project examines how the social organization of caregiving responsibilities shapes economic inequalities in society. The essential work of providing care for children or adults in homes, schools, nursing homes, or hospitals often comes at a significant economic cost to the caregiver. Paid care jobs typically pay significantly less than other jobs requiring the same skill level or credentials, an economic toll scholars call the paid care work penalty. Unpaid caregivers also incur an unpaid care work penalty, which refers to the economic costs associated with providing unpaid care incurred when caregivers change or quit jobs, or reduce work hours to provide care for those in their families and communities. This project comprehensively examines how and why paid and unpaid care penalties emerge, what their consequences are, and how to mitigate them. The project includes a targeted dissemination plan to share results with relevant constituencies and inform decision-making.