Plus, learn more about how runoff elections work

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** Who is missing work due to childcare?
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Nearly three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, some working parents still struggle with a lack of childcare. In October, over 100,000 people reported childcare problems as their main reason for missing work the previous week. USAFacts examined the numbers ([link removed]) and found some new developments and old trends exacerbated in the last few years.
* The number of people missing work for childcare reasons peaked at 104,000 in October. It fell to 59,000 in November.

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* Before the pandemic, parents with college degrees and parents without degrees missed work due to childcare at similar levels. Rates have diverged since then, which could partially be attributed to the nature of work. While there are variances across all jobs, parents with degrees may be more likely to be able to work from home than other parents.

* While both men and women reported work absences due to childcare issues, women were 82% of all childcare-related absences in November. This follows a historical trend. Between January 2000 and November 2022, women accounted for 85% of all childcare absences reported by parents.

* Childcare-related absences are higher than before the pandemic but remain uncommon. About 1 in 700 parents were absent from a full workweek last October. People were much more likely to miss work for vacation or illness.

Learn more about the data in this new visualization ([link removed]) .

Winter heating costs

Will it cost more to heat your home this winter? USAFacts does not make predictions, but the Energy Information Administration (EIA) does. According to its annual Winter Fuels Outlook, energy expenses could be higher than usual this season (measured as October 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023) thanks to rising retail energy prices and a colder-than-average winter. Here’s the forecast, along with context on previous winters. ([link removed])
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* More than 46% of households nationwide generate heat with natural gas. Natural gas is the cheapest heating fuel option the EIA measures. The administration expects natural gas prices to rise 9% from last winter, costing about $931 (adjusted for the energy inflation rate).

* Electricity is expected to drop by 6% to $1,359 this winter. Roughly 40% of all US households use electricity as their primary heating source.

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* The Northeast has the highest average household expenditures for all heating fuels due to lower winter temperatures and high energy consumption rates. The EIA forecasts the average costs for Northeast households using natural gas will be $1,095 this season. For comparison, it predicts the national average for natural gas will be $931.

* Energy prices can be volatile. The EIA bases price ranges on whether winters are 10% colder or warmer than the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration predicted. If this winter is 10% colder, limited fuel inventories could cause heating oil and propane prices to increase the most.

See more ([link removed]) , including how many US households face energy insecurity.

Data behind the news

Last week, Georgians elected Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock to a full term in the Senate after two runoff elections in as many years. Louisiana is the only other state besides Georgia that holds general election runoffs. Here’s how they work ([link removed]) .

Video games, consoles, and gaming accessories are hot holiday gifts. A 2018 report ([link removed]) provides a preliminary look into how much energy video gaming uses.

It’s time ([link removed]) for the weekly fact quiz. Have you kept up with the newest USAFacts articles?

One last fact
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The IRS employed 78,661 full-time workers in 2021 ([link removed]) . About 39% of these employees work in enforcement, meaning they review individual and corporate tax returns.

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