A long and persistent middle-class squeeze
February 3, 2010
More than one-third of all income growth since 1989 has gone to the top one-tenth of 1% of all earners. Read More
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The jobs holeThe 20,000 jobs lost in January extend a period of massive job loss that has left the labor market with fewer jobs in 2010 than it had a decade ago -- even though there are almost 11 million more workers today than there were in January, 2000. |
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Small group takes large sliceAs President Obama seeks to address the economic needs of the middle class, EPI data shows a longstanding pattern of economic policies that have benefited the wealthiest Americans at the expense of everyone else. More than one-third of all income growth since 1989 has gone to the top one-tenth of 1% of all earners. |
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Paying for jobs creation effortsIn addition to outlining a five-part strategy for creating millions of jobs, EPI's American Jobs Plan proposes a way to fund these efforts, through a modest financial transactions tax, to take effect in 2011. |
![[Obama at Capitol]](http://www.epi.org/page/-/img/whitehouse.gov.20090909.congress.c341.jpg/@mx_341) |
Deficit reduction begins with jobs creationWhy Obama's proposed freeze on non-defense discretionary spending is bad economic policy. |
Latest Research
Number of job seekers per job opening remains high in December
February 9, 2010
Read analysis of today's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) release by EPI's Lawrence Mishel.
Unemployment drops to 9.7% despite more job losses
February 5, 2010
Analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly employment report.
Jobs and Wages Tax Cut Should be Part of a New Jobs Package
February 4, 2010
Josh Bivens explains why a jobs tax credit is useful to jobs creation and which version will have the largest impact.
Immigration and wages
February 4, 2010
A new paper shows that immigration has a small positive effect on wages for native-born workers, including less educated workers.
Transportation jobs
February 4, 2010
Proposal to invest in highways, mass transit and bike and pedestrian routes would create close to half a million jobs.
Understanding the Obama Budget
February 2, 2010
Now that President Obama has released his budget, EPI's Director of Research and Policy offers further analysis.
A first look at Obama’s proposed budget freeze
January 29, 2010
Contrary to rhetoric that portrays discretionary spending as “out-of-control,” projected spending on these programs is well within historical norms.
Inventory blip boosted growth but won’t last
January 29, 2010
The fourth quarter growth in gross domestic product was welcome, but won't be sustained for anywhere near long enough to address the jobs crisis and other problems.
Analysis & Opinion
Budget reflects weakened economy, EPI analysis shows
February 1, 2010
The Obama administration released its fiscal year 2011 budget today, and its budget projections continue to reflect the poor state of the economy. Read More
Unions not an important impediment to removing ineffective teachers
February 1, 2010
On January 12, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, delivered a speech at the National Press Club calling for more thorough evaluation of teachers, and simplified due process rules for removing ineffective teachers. EPI Research Associate Richard Rothstein had the following response, originally posted at the National Journal web site, to the Weingarten speech: Read More
Tomorrow’s Recovery.gov Numbers Won’t Tell Whole Job Creation Story
January 29, 2010
On Saturday, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board will post additional data on the employment impact of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. When interpreting the headline Recovery.gov estimate, it is important to keep in mind that this number represents only a portion of the full jobs impact of the Recovery Act. Read More
Spending freeze could spell disaster
January 27, 2010
EPI President Lawrence Mishel says the proposed freeze on non-defense discretionary spending will make it harder to create the millions of new jobs that are badly needed. Read More
Mishel outlines large-scale jobs creation effort required
January 25, 2010
During a Senate hearing on jobs creation, EPI President Lawrence Mishel said that policies to create jobs must be large enough to address the massive size of the current unemployment crisis. Read More
Number of job seekers per job opening rises to 6.4 in November
January 12, 2010
Many more jobs needed to support a strong recovery. Read More
One in four black, Hispanic workers is underemployed
January 8, 2010
Unemployment rate does not count millions of "involuntary part-time" workers. Read More
RSS
EPI In The News
- Growing hunger in America Baltimore Chronicle — Feb. 9, 2010 Read More
- How a new jobless era will transform America The Atlantic — Feb. 9, 2010 Read More
- U.S. wage growth: The downward spiral MSNBC — Feb. 8, 2010 Read More
- Long-term unemployed still wait for recovery to arrive USA Today — Feb. 8, 2010 Read More
- Jobs count to plunge nationwide Denver Post — Feb. 5, 2010 Read More
- We need 402,000 jobs a month: Does the Senate get it? Huffington Post — Feb. 5, 2010 Read More
- When is $100 billion not enough? Huffington Post — Feb. 4, 2010 Read More
- Poof: another 800,000 jobs disappear CNN Money — Feb. 4, 2010 Read More
- No defense for this budget The Nation — Feb. 3, 2010 Read More
- Middle class finding it harder to make ends meet Pittsburgh Post Gazette — Feb. 1, 2010 Read More
- Obama outlines plan to increase employment New York Times — Feb. 1, 2010 Read More
- Growth spurt expected to slow this year Washington Times — Feb. 1, 2010 Read More
- True populism The Nation — Jan. 29, 2010 Read More
- Too soon to declare “Recovery Accomplished” Wall Street Journal — Jan. 29, 2010 Read More
- Obama seeks tax credits for companies that make new hires Los Angeles Times — Jan. 29, 2010 Read More
- See More EPI In The News
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Immigration helps boost relative wages of U.S.-born workers at all levels of education
New paper shows how immigration has a positive impact on the wages of native-born workers, including those with less than a high-school education. Read More
Unemployment rate drops to 9.7% despite more job losses
February 5, 9:24am
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows a loss of 20,000 jobs in January. The total number of payroll jobs lost since the start of the recession in December 2007 now stands at 8.4 million.
Given the slight decline in payroll jobs in January, there was an inexplicable decline in unemployment in January from 10% in December. Long term unemployment, however, continued to rise, with over 40% of the nation’s unemployed out of work for more than 6 months, a new record.
In a testament to the enormity of the current crisis, the U.S. labor market started 2010 with fewer jobs than it had a decade ago, in January 2000, even though the labor force has grown by almost 11 million workers since then.
Policy makers need to pass a substantial jobs bill, because if anything should be seen as too big to fail, it should be the livelihood of America’s working families. --Heidi Shierholz
Quick Takes archive
- Jobs Crisis Fact Sheet
- Downcast Unemployment Forecast—Targeted Job Creation Policies Necessary to Offset Grim Projections
- Unemployment drops to 9.7% despite more job losses
- Immigration and Wages—Methodological advancements confirm modest gains for native workers
- Understanding the President’s FY 2011 Budget
The State of Working America
A comprehensive look at the U.S. labor market and trends in income and employment levels, wages, poverty and healthcare coverage for American families
Economic Analysis and Research Network
Improving workers' lives through state and local research and advocacy
The Broader, Bolder Approach to Education
Policies to overcome the link between social and economic status and achievement
