A comprehensive new analysis reveals stark disparities in worker treatment across American states, with researchers warning that 2025 marks a significant retreat in labor protections nationwide.
The study, conducted by Oxfam, highlights growing regional inequality as numerous states have dismantled safeguards that previously protected vulnerable workers, including children and low-income families.
Child Labor Safeguards Under Attack
Perhaps most concerning, the report identifies 17 states that have systematically weakened child labor laws within the past year. These changes include reducing minimum working ages, expanding permissible work hours for minors, and eliminating requirements for parental approval before children can begin working.
Oxfam attributes this troubling trend to a combination of federal policy changes under the Trump administration and states' reluctance to maintain stronger protective standards independently.
Federal Cuts Compound State-Level Problems
Abby Maxman, Oxfam America's president and CEO, characterized the current situation as a coordinated assault on working families. "The Trump administration has ruthlessly cut essential programs spanning from international humanitarian aid to domestic Medicaid and nutrition assistance," Maxman stated.
She emphasized that comprehensive labor policies form a crucial component of broader social support systems that benefit entire communities, urging states to strengthen worker protections despite federal rollbacks targeting working families and vulnerable populations.
State Rankings Reveal Deep Divisions
The organization's comprehensive evaluation places Washington D.C. at the top of its worker-friendly rankings, with California, Oregon, New York, and Washington state completing the top five positions. Conversely, North Carolina received the lowest rating, joined at the bottom by Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.
Methodology and Broader Implications
Oxfam's assessment examined 27 distinct policies across three critical areas: compensation levels, workplace protections, and collective bargaining rights. The ranking system specifically identifies states that have proactively addressed gaps left by insufficient federal policies supporting low-wage workers and working families.
States earning higher scores typically demonstrate lower rates of poverty, food insecurity, and infant mortality, while showing higher household incomes and union membership levels.
Women Workers Face Additional Challenges
A specialized analysis of conditions for female workers shows Oregon leading this category, followed by New York, California, D.C., and Illinois. The five worst-performing states for women workers are Mississippi, North Carolina, Alabama, Utah, and Georgia.
Recent Policy Reversals Highlight Troubling Trends
The report specifically criticizes recent developments in Missouri and Nebraska, where previously enacted sick leave benefits have been significantly weakened. Nebraska's governor approved legislation in June that restricted eligibility criteria for paid sick leave programs.
Even more dramatically, Missouri's governor signed legislation last month that completely overturned Proposition A, a voter-approved measure that would have established paid sick leave and increased minimum wages throughout the state.
These policy reversals exemplify the broader pattern of states actively dismantling worker protections rather than maintaining or expanding them during a period of federal retrenchment.