Research commissioned by Rellevate estimated that nearly 100 million US workers could benefit from access to earned wages between paydays. Announced on June 2, 2021, the report examined the gap between household income and expenses and the possible role of earned wage access in addressing short-term financial pressure.

Economist William M. Rodgers III conducted the analysis, published as Bridging the Gap. The findings described financial strain among low- and moderate-income families even before the COVID-19 pandemic, including difficulty meeting regular expenses and absorbing unexpected costs. The estimate concerned potential beneficiaries of earned wage access, rather than the number enrolled in Rellevate's service.

The original report used 2015–2019 American Community Survey data to tabulate workers with annual wage and salary income below $75,000. Restaurants and other food services, construction, and general medical and surgical hospitals had the three largest counts in its industry table. These estimates describe an income-defined workforce, not verified EWA eligibility, enrolled users or measured improvements in financial wellbeing. [S02]

The data behind the story

Largest industry counts of workers earning below $75,000

Author tabulations from the 2015–2019 American Community Survey, reproduced from the commissioned report's industry table.

workers
Source
Bridging the Gap, Figure 7, page 12

Historical author estimates, not EWA users, verified product eligibility or demonstrated beneficiaries. The provider commissioned the analysis; no controlled product intervention was reported.

Show data tableHide data table
Scroll left or right to see all columns
Largest industry counts of workers earning below $75,000 (workers)
CategoryEstimated workers
Restaurants and other food services9,105,000 workers
Construction6,165,000 workers
General medical and surgical hospitals3,534,000 workers

Rodgers argued that access to already-earned money could help workers meet expenses arising before their next payday. He also qualified that assessment: programs needed appropriate pricing, design and monitoring of consumer rights. He did not present earned wage access as a complete solution to household financial insecurity.

Rellevate chairman and chief executive Stewart Stockdale said the research informed the company's employer-based financial services. Its Digital Account included Pay Any-Day, an earned wage access feature, alongside Bill Pay, Money Send and a Visa debit card. Gift and incentive cards were also part of the broader company offering.

In the June 2021 announcement, Rellevate said the platform was available at no charge to employers and described the account as having no monthly subscription fee, credit check or minimum balance. Sutton Bank was identified as the banking services provider and the issuer of the Visa debit card under a licence from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

Rodgers was then a professor of public policy and chief economist at Rutgers University's Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. He had previously served as chief economist at the US Department of Labor. Rellevate's announcement also identified him as its strategic advisor. That advisory role and the company's commissioning of the report are relevant when interpreting its recommendations.