Equitable Growth’s Household Pulse graphs: October 14 – 26
- Published
On November 3, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on workers and households. Below are four graphs compiled by Equitable Growth staff highlighting important trends in the data. Low-income families are more likely to report not being employed compared…
Scholars and advocates say racial disparities and worker power are key to the coronavirus recession and to long-term U.S. economic recovery
- Published
The coronavirus recession took root in a U.S. economy already characterized by profound economic and racial inequality, deeply inadequate public investment, and significant holes in support systems for families. At an October 19 webinar sponsored by the Groundwork Collaborative and several other org…
Why minimum wages are a critical tool for achieving racial justice in the U.S. labor market
- Published
Overview The minimum wage is one of the primary tools for raising the wages of low-income workers. This was the case at its inception in some states in the early 20th century, as a key federal component of the New Deal reforms during the Great Depression, and today, amid the coronavirus recession. I…
Factsheet: New study shows that emergency paid sick leave reduced COVID-19 infections in the United States
- Published
The United States is one of three high-income nations that does not guarantee paid sick leave for workers.338 As of March 2020, 25 percent of private-sector workers had no access to paid sick leave. This number is higher for part-time workers (55 percent) and low-income workers (69 percent).339 With…
Addressing long-term U.S. unemployment requires confronting the stigma against the unemployed amid the coronavirus recession
- Published
Overview Six months into a pandemic that is keeping many businesses closed across the United States, and with close to 1 million new unemployment claims continuing to be added each week, there should be widespread agreement that unemployed workers are blameless for their condition. Yet stereotypes t…
Equitable Growth’s Household Pulse graphs: September 30–October 12
- Published
On October 21, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on workers and households. Below are five graphs compiled by Equitable Growth staff highlighting important trends in the data. Food insecurity varies significantly by race and ethnicity. Fourteen perce…
Labor organizations and Unemployment Insurance: A virtuous circle supporting U.S. workers’ voices and reducing disparities in benefits
- Published
Overview In March 2020, communities across the United States realized the gravity of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the deadly reach of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. As businesses shut their doors to prevent the transmission of the disease, the joint federal-state Unemployment Insur…
Equitable Growth’s Household Pulse graphs: September 16–28 Edition
- Published
On October 7, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on workers and households. Below are five graphs compiled by Equitable Growth staff highlighting important trends in the data. While continued progress on extending economic relief has stalled, a majori…
Policy prescriptions for the flawed and unequal retirement savings systems that perpetuate U.S. economic inequality
- Published
Overview Outside of homeownership, retirement savings are the most important way middle-class workers and their families build wealth in the United States. But this second pillar of wealth creation is woefully inadequate for most workers to prepare for a financially secure retirement. What’s worse,…
In Conversation with Alexander Hertel-Fernandez
- Published
Overview Equitable Growth in Conversation is a recurring series where we talk with economists and other academics to help us better understand whether and how economic inequality affects economic growth and stability. In this installment, Equitable Growth Director of Family Economic Security Policy…