Center for Labor Research and Education

In this research brief we provide estimates of safety net use among families of construction workers in Texas. We find that almost half—46%—of families of construction workers in Texas are enrolled in one or more safety net programs at a cost to the state and the federal government of almost $2 billion per year. By comparison, among all Texas workers, 31% have a family member enrolled in one or more safety net programs. Over half (55%) of construction workers in Texas lack health insurance, two and a half times the rate for all workers (20%).