Skip to content
Browse All Resources

Policy Resources

From in-depth analysis to practical policy insights, find research that helps explain how economic policy shapes outcomes for workers, families, and long-term growth.

Our Policy Areas of Focus

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth connects economic evidence and policy to promote shared prosperity and growth by funding policy-relevant research, elevating scholars and their work, and translating evidence for policymakers.

How Ideas Move Into Policy Decisions

AI, Tech & Energy

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and the energy transition affect workers, inequality, and broad-based economic growth.

AI, Tech & Energy

To equip leaders to guide AI toward shared prosperity, our work examines:

  • The impact of AI on employment levels, wages, and job content
  • How AI drives macroeconomic impacts such as growth and productivity
  • Market competition implications of AI use
  • The use of algorithms in labor management
Browse AI, Tech & Energy Resources

Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how macroeconomic policies and better economic measurement can promote stable and broad-based economic growth.

Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement

To reduce volatility and strengthen individual and macroeconomic resilience for broad-based growth, we focus on:

  • Automatic stabilizers that cushion downturns and promote more even recoveries
  • Tools to respond to recessions that quickly stabilize households, boost the economy, and limit scarring
  • Ways to encourage private investment and job growth
  • Wealth inequality using novel data and analysis
  • Policies to strengthen supply chains and support the energy transition
Browse Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Resources

Political Economy & Democracy

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how economic inequality shapes political power and democratic institutions, and how that in turn affects broad-based economic growth.

Political Economy & Democracy
Browse Political Economy & Democracy Resources

Taxation

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how tax policies can promote stable and broad-based economic growth.

Taxation

To provide evidence to policymakers on what effective reform entails, we focus on:

  • Distributional analysis, including distributional weighting of benefit-cost analysis
  • Pass-through and other business taxation
  • Tax enforcement, especially related to large, complex partnerships
  • Taxing wealth, including capital taxes on new forms of wealth such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency
Browse Taxation Resources

Household Economic Security

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how unequal access to care, 21st century work-life policies, and education undermines stable, broad-based economic growth.

Household Economic Security

We focus on:

  • The efficacy of public benefit and social insurance programs
  • Income security and access to wealth-building
  • Policy effects on economic mobility
  • The value of economic inclusion
  • The impacts on workforce outcomes through policies such as schedule stability and childcare
Browse Household Economic Security Resources

Economic Equity & Opportunity

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how trends in economic inequality and mobility and changes in the economy have affected the concentration of wealth, income, and earnings, and how these distributional shifts have affected the promise of economic security and opportunity.

Economic Equity & Opportunity
Browse Economic Equity & Opportunity Resources

Labor, Wages & Worker Power

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how inequalities in wages, bargaining power, and the evolving labor market affect workers’ economic security and opportunity as well as broad-based economic growth.

Labor, Wages & Worker Power

We focus on:

  • Unemployment and wage growth
  • Bargaining power and union coverage
  • Gender and race pay equity
  • Nonwage amenities, job quality, and upward job mobility
Browse Labor, Wages & Worker Power Resources

How Ideas Move Into Policy Decisions

Policy Community
4

Disseminate research and policy guidance

1

Identify policy areas and issues

3

Conduct original research and identify spaces for effective policy interventions

2

Identify policy relevant and academically rigorous research questions

Academics

Progress depends on a continuous exchange between ideas and action.

Research helps define the questions that matter, while policy challenges shape the direction of inquiry. When these two stay connected, evidence becomes more than insight—it becomes a tool for better decisions.

That connection is powered by people.

At the center of this work is a network of more than 400 researchers focusing on real policy questions—helping explain economic trends, evaluate solutions, and inform decision-making.

Meet Our Academic Experts
Issue Areas
Resource Types
Filter by Year

Looking for Grantmaking Resources?

3,587 Results

Shutterstock
Policy

What Work Does Generative AI Do? (opens in a new tab)

Essays SEP 8, 2026

Since August 2024, our Real-Time Population Survey (RPS), a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults ages 18 to 64, has tracked how many Americans use generative artificial intelligence (AI). The adoption…

By: Alexander Bick (opens in a new tab), Adam Blandin (opens in a new tab), David Deming (opens in a new tab), Tyler Schumacher (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Shutterstock
Policy

What happens to U.S. workers without access to Unemployment Insurance amid economic downturns or disruptions related to AI? (opens in a new tab)

Essays SEP 2, 2026

The adoption of artificial intelligence in the workplace has led to predictions of U.S. labor market disruptions. In response, policymakers have increased attention on the fitness of the nation’s social…

By: Megan Rivera (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
Shutterstock
Policy

Economic research shows immigration is good for U.S. workers, the economy, and affordability (opens in a new tab)

Essays AUG 31, 2026

When President Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, mass deportations and immigration restrictions were renewed as one of the political priorities of his second administration. Since then,…

By: Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power
What can federal data collection tell policymakers and researchers about artificial intelligence in the U.S. labor market?
Policy

What can federal data collection tell policymakers and researchers about artificial intelligence in the U.S. labor market? (opens in a new tab)

Issue Briefs AUG 24, 2026

It is impossible to perfectly predict how artificial intelligence will affect the U.S. labor market. Policymakers and researchers are grappling with important questions around this topic, including what new opportunities…

By: Mary Beech (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Watch Now: Defining extreme wealth is more complicated than it looks (opens in a new tab)
Policy

Defining extreme wealth is more complicated than it looks (opens in a new tab)

Videos AUG 13, 2026

Facing high levels of income and wealth inequality and shrinking tax revenues, U.S. policymakers are showing increased interest in proposals to tax the richest households. Yet determining which households fall into that category is complex and changes based…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
Shutterstock
Policy

Estimating AI exposure is useful for research but cannot yet tell policymakers the whole story of AI’s impact on the labor market (opens in a new tab)

Essays AUG 7, 2026

Artificial intelligence has the potential to substantially change the nature and availability of work. To effectively manage the transitions this technology might bring to the U.S. economy, policymakers need information…

By: Chiara Chanoi (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
Shutterstock
Policy

Personal Income in the United States nudges up in May but is down 0.76 percent in the past 6 months (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUN 25, 2026

According to today’s release of Personal Income estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. household incomes have fallen 0.76 percent in the past 6 months, with month-to-month declines…

By: Austin Clemens (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
Watch Now: The United States can simultaneously foster an equitable AI boom and a clean energy economy (opens in a new tab)
Policy

The United States can simultaneously foster an equitable AI boom and a clean energy economy (opens in a new tab)

Videos JUN 12, 2026

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth recently hosted a timely discussion exploring how the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is colliding with—and reshaping—the clean energy transition. Bringing together researchers and…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Shutterstock
Policy

What is the relationship between inflation, interest rates, and economic growth, and what does it mean for the new Federal Reserve chair? (opens in a new tab)

Issue Briefs MAY 18, 2026

Since regaining the Oval Office in early 2025, President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for lower interest rates and severely criticized former Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell’s cautious approach…

By: Jacob Robbins (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
Shutterstock
Policy

Research shows unions dampen support for right-wing populism and help workers navigate technological transitions (opens in a new tab)

Essays MAY 1, 2026

On May 1, much of the world—though not the United States—celebrates International Workers Day to honor the social and economic contributions of workers and labor unions. The May Day holiday began in large part to mark…

By: Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power
How does early childhood care and education affect U.S. families and workers, and which policies support child participation and boost the quality of care?
Policy

How does early childhood care and education affect U.S. families and workers, and which policies support child participation and boost the quality of care? (opens in a new tab)

Reports APR 16, 2026

As states consider policy action in early childhood care and education, there is an existing—and growing—evidence base from which to draw lessons. This report summarizes the rigorous evidence on program…

By: Chloe Gibbs (opens in a new tab)

Household Economic Security
Watch Now: Equitable Growth event covers tariffs, tariff uncertainties, and the limits of U.S. trade policy (opens in a new tab)
Policy

Equitable Growth event covers tariffs, tariff uncertainties, and the limits of U.S. trade policy (opens in a new tab)

Videos APR 1, 2026

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth recently hosted a webinar examining the economic, fiscal, and labor‑market effects of evolving U.S. tariff laws and regulations, particularly in the wake of the…

By: Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

Taxation
ASSA 2026 Round-up: Day 2
Policy

ASSA 2026 Round-up: Day 2 (opens in a new tab)

Blog JAN 5, 2026

Yesterday was the second day of the 2026 annual meeting of the Allied Social Science Associations, which is organized by the American Economic Association. The 3-day conference, held in Philadelphia…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Competition & Economic Dynamism Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
Watch Now: Equitable Growth event highlights the path forward to rebuild the U.S. administrative state (opens in a new tab)
Policy

Equitable Growth event highlights the path forward to rebuild the U.S. administrative state (opens in a new tab)

Videos DEC 17, 2025

Microsoft Copilot helped draft this column. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth recently convened scholars, practitioners, and advocates for an Equitable Growth Presents event, titled “Reimagining the Federal Government: Building…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity
Shutterstock
Policy

Equitable Growth hosts Econ 101 virtual event on how U.S. social insurance programs boost economic mobility (opens in a new tab)

Essays DEC 1, 2025

Microsoft Copilot helped draft this event recap. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth recently hosted its latest Econ 101 briefing aimed at providing in-depth evidence for policymakers on how U.S.…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Shutterstock
Policy

What impact is artificial intelligence having on the U.S. labor market and the nation’s economy? (opens in a new tab)

Essays NOV 14, 2025

As new and groundbreaking technologies emerge, they can function as a blank canvas onto which people project both aspirations and anxieties. Artificial intelligence—despite its quick uptake in broader society and…

By: Megan Rivera (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Competition & Economic Dynamism Labor, Wages & Worker Power Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
Distributional weighting in benefit-cost analysis is practical and effective at assessing government rulemaking without bias against low-income individuals
Policy

Distributional weighting in benefit-cost analysis is practical and effective at assessing government rulemaking without bias against low-income individuals (opens in a new tab)

Reports NOV 13, 2025

Distributional weighting in benefit-cost analysis is a tool for overcoming bias against lower-income individuals in economists’ measurements of the net benefit of government policies that affect populations at different levels…

By: Daniel Acland (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
Shutterstock
Policy

Workplace exposure to artificial intelligence is higher among U.S. workers with higher wages, depending on how AI is used (opens in a new tab)

Essays OCT 23, 2025

Recent advances using artificial intelligence in workplaces, particularly large language models such as Claude.ai and ChatGPT, are increasingly disrupting the U.S. labor market. The cognitive power of AI has the…

By: Chiara Chanoi (opens in a new tab), Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Shutterstock
Policy

How Are Workers Experiencing Fair Workweek Laws? Evidence for policymakers and advocates (opens in a new tab)

Essays OCT 2, 2025

This factsheet, “How Are Workers Experiencing Fair Workweek Laws? Evidence for policymakers and advocates,” originally appeared on WorkRise at https://www.workrisenetwork.org/sites/default/files/2025-08/howareworkersexperiencingfairworkweeklaws.pdf. New laws that regulate employer scheduling practic…

By: Susan Lambert (opens in a new tab), Julia Henly (opens in a new tab)

Labor, Wages & Worker Power
States can support children and their economies using direct cash assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant program
Policy

States can support children and their economies using direct cash assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant program (opens in a new tab)

Reports AUG 28, 2025

Efficient, effective, and responsive income support programs can reduce economic inequality and support economic mobility. If targeted effectively, these programs can help children, families, and workers meet their needs and…

By: Megan Rivera (opens in a new tab), Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

Household Economic Security
Shutterstock
Policy

How artificial intelligence uncouples hard work from fair wages through ‘surveillance pay’ practices—and how to fix it (opens in a new tab)

Issue Briefs AUG 21, 2025

Correction: Freddie Mac and Udemy contacted the Washington Center for Equitable Growth on March 18, 2026 and April 2, 2026, respectively, to say they no longer had business relationships with…

By: Veena Dubal (opens in a new tab), Wilneida Negrón (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Shutterstock
Policy

Republican reconciliation bill’s cuts to social programs will damage some congressional districts’ local economies (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUL 11, 2025

In a recent working paper, Equitable Growth grantee Robert Manduca of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor demonstrates that government transfers make sizable contributions to local economies in much of…

By: Chiara Chanoi (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
Shutterstock
Policy

Adoption of generative AI will have different effects across jobs in the U.S. logistics workforce (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUL 10, 2025

Generative artificial intelligence promises to profoundly reshape labor markets, much like previous automation waves did, but with clear differences. Unlike earlier technologies, such as computerization, which primarily automated routine administrative…

By: Christophe Combemale (opens in a new tab), Dustin Ferrone (opens in a new tab), Andrew Barber (opens in a new tab), Laurence Ales (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Shutterstock
Policy

Americans informed about the distributional effects of Republicans’ tax and budget bill overwhelmingly oppose it (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUL 3, 2025

Republicans in the U.S. Senate recently passed a version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, championed by President Donald Trump. The House of Representatives passed an earlier version of…

By: Jacob Hacker (opens in a new tab), Patrick Sullivan (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
Shutterstock
Policy

Medicaid and SNAP cuts in congressional Republicans’ budget bill will negatively impact local economies (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUN 24, 2025

The budget reconciliation bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives proposes to make large cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and other social programs to pay…

By: Robert Manduca (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
Watch Now: Equitable Growth event brings together scholars and the policy community to discuss the rise of right-wing populism and the future of economic policy (opens in a new tab)
Policy

Equitable Growth event brings together scholars and the policy community to discuss the rise of right-wing populism and the future of economic policy (opens in a new tab)

Videos MAY 29, 2025

This article was drafted with assistance from Perplexity AI. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth in mid-May hosted an event on “The rise of populism and the future of economic…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity
Adobe Stock
Policy

The political implications of bad jobs and the decline of unions (opens in a new tab)

Blog MAY 13, 2025

Bad jobs have become a distinctive feature of the U.S. economy over the past few decades. Globally, a lack of adequate demand, or what economists call “secular stagnation,” has meant…

By: Adam Dean (opens in a new tab), Jamie McCallum (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power Political Economy & Democracy
Adobe Stock
Policy

More accurately measuring economic sentiment will help build a U.S. economy—and democracy—that works for all (opens in a new tab)

Blog MAY 13, 2025

When politicians and members of the media discuss the state of “the economy” in the United States, they often use a small handful of data points. Of all the indicators…

By: Jonathan Cohen (opens in a new tab), Katherine Cramer (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Political Economy & Democracy
Adobe Stock
Policy

How the China trade shock impacted U.S. manufacturing workers and labor markets, and the consequences for U.S. politics (opens in a new tab)

Blog MAY 13, 2025

In the early 2000s, manufacturing-intensive communities in the United States entered a period of economic upheaval that would reshape their labor markets over the next two decades. China’s dramatic rise…

By: David Autor (opens in a new tab), David Dorn (opens in a new tab), Gordon Hanson (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Political Economy & Democracy
Adobe Stock
Policy

How the economic and political geography of the United States fuels right-wing populism—and what the Democratic Party can do about it (opens in a new tab)

Blog MAY 13, 2025

In wealthy nations around the world, the rise of the knowledge economy has increased political and economic divides that fuel right-wing populism. These divides generally have a strong geographic dimension,…

By: Jacob Hacker (opens in a new tab), Paul Pierson (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Political Economy & Democracy
Shutterstock
Policy

Why do some jobs pay better than others? Think about what workers do. (opens in a new tab)

Issue Briefs MAY 6, 2025

Most U.S. labor market data characterize jobs by describing the categories of industry and occupation to which the jobs belong. But to understand why some types of jobs tend to…

By: Kevin Rinz (opens in a new tab), Chiara Chanoi (opens in a new tab), Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Watch Now: Designing economic policy that strengthens U.S. democracy and incorporates people’s lived experiences (opens in a new tab)
Policy

Designing economic policy that strengthens U.S. democracy and incorporates people’s lived experiences (opens in a new tab)

Videos APR 30, 2025

Around the globe, people are increasingly dissatisfied with the state of democratic capitalism. In the United States and other rich democracies, economic policy has too often in recent decades produced…

By: Alexander Hertel-Fernandez (opens in a new tab), Shayna Strom (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Political Economy & Democracy
Shutterstock
Policy

“Econ 101” briefing on taxing multinationals brings Hill staffers up to speed on U.S. role in coordinating global crack-down on tax avoidance (opens in a new tab)

Blog APR 3, 2025

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth last week hosted a briefing for Capitol Hill staffers on multinational corporate tax trends and policies—another in our “Econ 101” series for Hill staffers.…

By: Elena Patel (opens in a new tab)

Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
Shutterstock
Policy

The U.S. House of Representatives’ budget resolution threatens social infrastructure programs, putting families’ well-being at risk (opens in a new tab)

Blog MAR 10, 2025

In late February, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget resolution that calls for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and $2 trillion in federal spending cuts. This resolution provides…

By: Priyanka Anand (opens in a new tab), Robert Moffitt (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security
Shutterstock
Policy

New research finds capital gains are highly concentrated and hardly taxed, underscoring widespread U.S. inequality (opens in a new tab)

Blog FEB 26, 2025

For two decades, booming stock, housing, and private business markets have driven large capital gains in the United States. Real capital gains, which are the inflation-adjusted appreciation of a financial…

By: Jacob Robbins (opens in a new tab), Cole Campbell (opens in a new tab), Sam Wylde (opens in a new tab)

Taxation
Watch Now: Pro-growth tax reform in 2025 would boost the U.S. economy for years to come (opens in a new tab)
Policy

Pro-growth tax reform in 2025 would boost the U.S. economy for years to come (opens in a new tab)

Videos JAN 15, 2025

In the aftermath of the presidential election in 2024, it’s clear that many Americans feel like the U.S. economy is not working for them. Even though policymakers on both sides…

By: Shayna Strom (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Taxation
Shutterstock
Policy

Accelerating research can help fill the AI knowledge gaps for U.S. policymakers (opens in a new tab)

Issue Briefs DEC 17, 2024

It is hard for policymakers to ignore today’s “AI arms race” and the public debate on the economic and social significance of generative artificial intelligence. The discourse is fueled in…

By: Rohini Kosoglu (opens in a new tab), Christian Edlagan (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Economic Equity & Opportunity Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Estimating the prevalence of automated management and surveillance technologies at work and their impact on workers’ well-being
Policy

Estimating the prevalence of automated management and surveillance technologies at work and their impact on workers’ well-being (opens in a new tab)

Reports OCT 1, 2024

Evidence from a new national survey and implications for U.S. federal policy U.S. employers are deploying artificial-intelligence-powered and automated tools to monitor and manage workers, including tracking workers’ locations, activities,…

By: Alexander Hertel-Fernandez (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Shutterstock
Policy

New economic analyses of the 2017 Trump tax cuts find mixed effects that policymakers should consider when those tax cuts expire in 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Blog AUG 22, 2024

Former President Donald Trump’s hallmark economic policy was a swathe of tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations in 2017. His Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA, supercharged…

By: Rakeen Mabud (opens in a new tab), Janelle Jones (opens in a new tab), Michael Linden (opens in a new tab)

Taxation
Shutterstock
Policy

New federal heat standard will protect U.S. workers from the ill effects of high temperatures amid intensifying climate change (opens in a new tab)

Blog AUG 1, 2024

U.S. workers are more vulnerable than ever to the ill effects of high and rising temperatures as the world continues to shatter heat records this year. Climate-related deaths and injuries…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Hospital consolidation and rising health care prices lead to job losses for U.S. workers
Policy

Hospital consolidation and rising health care prices lead to job losses for U.S. workers (opens in a new tab)

Issue Briefs JUL 25, 2024

The majority of working-age adults in the United States have health insurance via their employers. Theory and a growing body of research suggest that when the cost of workers’ benefits…

By: Zarek Brot-Goldberg (opens in a new tab), Zack Cooper (opens in a new tab), Stuart Craig (opens in a new tab), Lev Klarnet (opens in a new tab)

Competition & Economic Dynamism
Load More