CPSA Announces Results of First Congressional Working Conditions Survey: 91% of Surveyed Staff Support Increased Workplace Protections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2022
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WASHINGTON, DC — Today the Congressional Progressive Staff Association (CPSA) announced the results of its first Congressional Working Conditions Survey, a comprehensive questionnaire on congressional workplace conditions, rights and compensation. The survey follows the one year anniversary of the insurrection and domestic terror attack of January 6, 2021 and comes nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic.
“CPSA is committed to improving conditions for all workers, and we believe that better serving our constituents requires meaningful changes to improve retention, equity, diversity, and inclusion on Capitol Hill,” said CPSA’s Steering Committee. “We hope this data will help our managers, our bosses, and the American people better understand Congress from the perspective of its workers. CPSA is deeply thankful to the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association, the Women’s Staff Association, the Middle Eastern and North African Staff Association and all other parties who assisted in distributing the survey to congressional staff.”
CPSA’s Congressional Working Conditions Survey ran from January 6th to January 14th. 516 congressional staffers responded to the survey. CPSA verified survey participants as current congressional staff using internally available congressional directories.
Highlighted results from the survey are below, and the full results can be found at the bottom.
Financial Strain
47% of respondents reported that they find themselves struggling to pay bills or make ends meet. This statistic was higher among non-management staff, reporting 50% struggling to pay bills compared to only 36% of management staff.
Over a quarter, 27%, of non-management staff, 109 participants, reported not having at least one month’s rent in savings in case of emergency.
39% of all respondents reported that they currently or previously have taken out debt to make ends meet.
31% of non-management staff reported they have had a second job to supplement their income. 30% of non-management staff reported that the demand of working hours in their current role doesn’t allow them to have a second job.
Compensation
In total, 68% percent, 352 participants, answered that they are not satisfied with their current level of compensation. Isolating for non-management staff, 74% of participants reported they are unsatisfied with their pay, compared to only 49% of management staff.
54% of respondents reported having asked for a raise. Non-management staff are nearly 50% more likely to have their request for a raise rejected than management staff. Nearly 60% of non-management staff who reported having asked for a rais have had a raised rejected. Only 43% of management staff have had their request for a raise rejected.
Only 50% of non-management staff feel comfortable asking for a raise. 74% of management feels comfortable asking for a raise. In total only 55% of staff feel comfortable asking for a raise.
68% of respondents reported not understanding their office’s policy around granting raises or bonuses. 74% of non-management staff reported not understanding their office’s policy around granting raises or bonuses.
Work Hours
59% of respondents reported working more than 50 hours a week—including 54% of non-management staff. 17% reported working 60 hours or more a week. 91% of respondents reported working on weeknights after the office has closed and/or on weekends. 90% of non-management staff reported working after business hours and weekends, compared to 97% of management staff.
COVID Safety
25% of respondents reported being required to work in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic prior to the availability of vaccines.
63% of respondents are satisfied with their office’s telework policy, and 65% of respondents feel like they have a meaningful voice in setting their office’s COVID-19 policy.
Sick Leave and Paid Time Off
48% of respondents have felt compelled or pressured to work, either in person or remotely, while they were sick or taking paid time off.
Mental Health and Disability Rights
34% of respondents who have a disability and/or mental illness don’t feel their accessibility needs are met in their office.
Work Environment
23% of respondents reported feeling unsafe or uncomfortable because of their identity while working in Congress.
85% of respondents believe Congress is a toxic work environment. 86% of non-management staff believe Congress to be a toxic work environment compared to 80% of management staff.
Workplace Rights and Protections
91% of respondents would like to see more protections to give them a voice at work. 93% of non-management staff would like to see more protections to give them a voice at work.
The full survey results can be found here. Slides from CPSA’s briefing on the survey can be found here.