Heidi Shierholz
Economist
Areas of expertise
Labor markets • Economic inequality • Minimum wage
Biography
Heidi Shierholz joined the Economic Policy Institute in 2007. Her areas of research include trends in employment, unemployment, and compensation, income and wealth inequality, the low-wage labor market, the minimum wage, and the gender wage gap. Shierholz is a frequent contributor to broadcast and radio news outlets, including: ABC, CBS, CNN and NPR, and is regularly quoted in print and online media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post and the Huffington Post. She has repeatedly been called to testify in Congress on labor market issues. She is also a member of the board of directors of the DC Employment Justice Center. She previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Toronto.
Education
Ph.D., Economics, University of Michigan
M.A., Economics, University of Michigan
M.S., Statistics, Iowa State University
B.A., Mathematics, Grinnell College
Publications by Heidi Shierholz
Blog
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May 22, 2013 | In one chart: we have a demand problem, not a skills problem
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May 7, 2013 | Sequester cuts to Emergency Unemployment Insurance Compensation will likely cost around 30,000 jobs
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May 1, 2013 | 175,000 jobs a month won’t make us whole until 2020
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April 30, 2013 | The missing workers: how many are there and who are they?
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Jan. 18, 2013 | Are the job polarization data robust?
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Oct. 5, 2012 | Who has the better solution to the 300,000 teacher gap?
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Sept. 28, 2012 | Share of households owning stocks declined over the last decade
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Sept. 12, 2012 | By the numbers: New Census Bureau data on poverty, income, and health insurance coverage
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July 6, 2012 | Three years into recovery, just how much has state and local austerity hurt job growth?
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April 9, 2012 | The worst recession in 70 years, not the worst recovery
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Dec. 20, 2011 | Continuing extended UI benefits will make the labor market stronger
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Dec. 12, 2011 | Will the real unemployment rate please stand up
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Dec. 9, 2011 | Projected: Nearly 15% of the workforce will be unemployed at some point in 2012
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Nov. 2, 2011 | Video: Honoring the inspiring work of Paul Krugman
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Oct. 12, 2011 | Blame who?
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Oct. 7, 2011 | The teacher gap
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Oct. 7, 2011 | Quick Take: Miserably low job growth
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Sept. 22, 2011 | What’s UI got to do with it?
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Sept. 13, 2011 | Already a lost decade: Working-age household income down more than 10% since 2000
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Sept. 13, 2011 | By the numbers: 2010 income, poverty, and health insurance coverage
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Sept. 8, 2011 | How big is the job gap? Let’s just say this one goes to 11
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Sept. 7, 2011 | The U.S. doesn’t lack the right workers, it lacks work
Report
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April 10, 2013 | The Class of 2013: Young graduates still face dim job prospects
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Feb. 14, 2013 | From free-fall to stagnation: Five years after the start of the Great Recession, extraordinary policy measures are still needed, but are not forthcoming
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Jan. 11, 2013 | Assessing the job polarization explanation of growing wage inequality
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Nov. 14, 2012 | Labor market will lose 400,000 jobs in 2013 if UI extensions expire
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May 24, 2012 | Labor force participation: Cyclical versus structural changes since the start of the Great Recession
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May 3, 2012 | The Class of 2012: Labor market for young graduates remains grim
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Nov. 4, 2011 | Labor market will lose over half a million jobs if UI extensions expire in 2012
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Aug. 31, 2011 | Sustained, high joblessness causes lasting damage to wages, benefits, income, and wealth
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Aug. 11, 2011 | The contraction in construction squeezed immigrants hardest
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July 6, 2011 | Ten facts about the recovery
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May 10, 2011 | The JOBS Act will result in fewer, not more jobs
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April 20, 2011 | The class of 2011: Young workers face a dire labor market without a safety net
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March 15, 2011 | The sad but true story of wages in America
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Feb. 17, 2011 | The compensation penalty of “right-to-work” laws
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Nov. 4, 2010 | A Good Deal for All
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Sept. 22, 2010 | Reasons for Skepticism About Structural Unemployment
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Aug. 31, 2010 | Recession hits workers’ paychecks
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July 15, 2010 | Two for the Price of One
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May 12, 2010 | CIS Analysis of Immigration’s Impact on Youth Employment Omits Key Facts
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March 31, 2010 | For job seekers, no recovery in sight—Why prospects for job growth and unemployment remain dim
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Feb. 24, 2010 | The effects of citizenship on family income and poverty
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Feb. 4, 2010 | Immigration and Wages: Methodological advancements confirm modest gains for native workers
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Dec. 17, 2009 | Fix it and forget it: Index the minimum wage to growth in average wages
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Sept. 4, 2009 | The recession’s hidden costs: Workers lucky enough to keep their jobs still feel the pain in their paycheck
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Jan. 13, 2009 | Without adequate public spending, a catastrophic recession for some
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Sept. 17, 2008 | More unemployed workers, fewer job openings
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May 23, 2008 | Unemployment Insurance Extension Passes Senate, 75 to 22
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April 15, 2008 | A Decade of Decline: The Erosion of Employer-Provided Health Care in the United States and Californi
Economic snapshot
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May 22, 2013 | In recession’s wake, many young adults out of work and out of school
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April 4, 2013 | Wages of young college graduates have failed to grow over the last decade
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Jan. 31, 2013 | No occupation spared: Unemployment elevated across the board
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Jan. 23, 2013 | Unemployed far outnumber job openings in every sector
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Jan. 16, 2013 | Workers don’t lack skills, they lack work
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Dec. 19, 2012 | A projected 13.1 percent of workers will be unemployed at some point in 2013
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Dec. 13, 2012 | Average worker in ‘right-to-work’ state earns $1,500 less each year
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Nov. 28, 2012 | Who are the 23 million ‘underemployed’ workers?
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Nov. 8, 2012 | The U.S. jobs deficit is 9 million
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Oct. 17, 2012 | For workers, the consequences of job loss are staggering
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Sept. 26, 2012 | The ‘democratization of the stock market’ that never happened
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Sept. 6, 2012 | If emergency unemployment compensation benefits expire, only around a quarter of unemployed workers will receive UI
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May 30, 2012 | ‘Missing workers’ mean the unemployment rate is understating weakness in the job market
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May 16, 2012 | Wages of young college graduates have failed to grow over the last decade
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March 14, 2012 | Low level of voluntary quits should temper recent optimism about the labor market
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March 8, 2012 | Work hours near pre-recession rate: A positive sign for future job growth
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Feb. 28, 2012 | 16-to-24-year-olds continue to face tough labor market
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Feb. 1, 2012 | It’s too early to cut back on unemployment benefits
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Jan. 24, 2012 | Labor market still needs more than 10 million jobs
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Aug. 31, 2011 | New college grads losing ground on wages
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Aug. 17, 2011 | Unemployment rate remains extremely high
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June 8, 2011 | Wage growth slows to a crawl
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April 20, 2011 | Are more young people “sheltering in school” now than before?
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July 8, 2010 | Running out of steam
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Feb. 24, 2010 | Leaving in droves
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Dec. 23, 2009 | Layoffs moderating, but hiring not yet picking up
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July 22, 2009 | Minimum wage workers: better educated, worse compensated
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Sept. 16, 2008 | Got work?
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Aug. 6, 2008 | Dismal employment trends characterize 2000 business cycle
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April 15, 2008 | Health insecurity across education levels
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Oct. 30, 2007 | Immigration not driving the erosion of health insurance
Economic Indicators
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May 3, 2013 | At a time of persistent economic weakness, today’s jobs report represents an ongoing disaster
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April 5, 2013 | The unemployment rate is hugely underestimating slack in the labor market
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March 8, 2013 | February caps off three years of job growth, but much more is needed to fill employment deficit
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Feb. 12, 2013 | Job openings and hiring dropped in December, and have not increased since early 2012
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Feb. 1, 2013 | Groundhog Day in the labor market
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Jan. 10, 2013 | Job openings and hiring have not improved since early 2012
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Jan. 4, 2013 | Status quo is not good enough
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Dec. 11, 2012 | Job-seekers ratio continues slow improvement
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Dec. 7, 2012 | Middling job growth in November
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Nov. 6, 2012 | Job-seekers ratio held steady in September
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Nov. 2, 2012 | Solid employment growth in October but still a lot of ground to make up
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Oct. 10, 2012 | Job-seekers ratio down slightly in August, and likely dropped further in September
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Oct. 5, 2012 | Job gain remains steady in September, but job gap in local public education remains high
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Sept. 12, 2012 | Already more than a lost decade: Poverty and income trends continue to paint a bleak picture
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Sept. 11, 2012 | Job openings data underscore weak opportunities in the labor market, though layoffs were the lowest on record
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Sept. 7, 2012 | The public sector has cut 680,000 jobs over the last four years
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Aug. 3, 2012 | Underlying labor market trend is around 150,000 jobs added per month
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July 6, 2012 | The labor market is treading water
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June 19, 2012 | Still an uphill battle for job seekers
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June 1, 2012 | Underlying labor market trend still murky after May jobs report
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May 8, 2012 | The odds of finding a job are improving, but are still stacked against job seekers
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May 4, 2012 | April job growth of 115,000 likely understates growth trend
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April 10, 2012 | Low number of voluntary quits underscores that young workers lack opportunities for advancement
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April 6, 2012 | Weaker jobs report is a reminder that we’re still on a rocky road
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March 13, 2012 | Job openings survey shows openings and hires both dropped in January
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March 9, 2012 | Strengthened jobs recovery
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Feb. 7, 2012 | Job-seekers ratio improves but has been above the highest rate of early 2000s downturn for more than three years
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Feb. 3, 2012 | U.S. labor market starts 2012 with solid positive signs but fewer jobs than it had 11 years ago
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Jan. 10, 2012 | Nearly three years of a job-seekers ratio above 4-to-1
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Jan. 6, 2012 | A solid step in the right direction for the labor market
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Dec. 13, 2011 | Job-seekers ratio remains above 4-to-1 for 34th straight month
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Dec. 2, 2011 | Job growth strengthens but insufficient to cure sick labor market
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Nov. 4, 2011 | At this rate of job growth, the unemployment rate will stay disastrously high
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Oct. 12, 2011 | No improvement in job-finding prospects since the spring
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Oct. 7, 2011 | Miserably low job growth
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Sept. 14, 2011 | A lost decade: Poverty and income trends continue to paint a bleak picture for working families
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Sept. 7, 2011 | Ongoing lack of job openings means no jobs for more than three out of four unemployed workers
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Sept. 2, 2011 | Zero job growth made worse by drop in weekly hours
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Aug. 10, 2011 | Two-and-a-half years of a job-seeker’s ratio above 4-to-1
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Aug. 5, 2011 | Job growth still sputtering in lowest gear
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July 8, 2011 | Labor market in full retreat
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June 3, 2011 | Unemployment rises, recovery remains on pause
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May 11, 2011 | Continuing dearth of job opportunities leaves many workers still sidelined
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May 6, 2011 | Jobs data send mixed messages
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April 13, 2011 | No jobs for more than three out of four unemployed workers
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April 1, 2011 | Welcome momentum in the labor market—but we need more
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March 11, 2011 | Fewer job openings following this recession than following 2001 recession
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March 4, 2011 | February rebounds, but road to jobs recovery remains years long
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Feb. 8, 2011 | Three years after start of the Great Recession, no jobs for three out of four unemployed workers
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Feb. 4, 2011 | Labor market moving in two directions at the same time
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Jan. 11, 2011 | No jobs for more than three out of four unemployed workers
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Jan. 7, 2011 | Labor force smaller than before recession started
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Dec. 3, 2010 | Labor market falters in November
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Nov. 9, 2010 | For four out of five unemployed workers: no jobs
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Nov. 5, 2010 | Job growth improves, but pace leaves full employment 20 years away
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Oct. 8, 2010 | Fifteen months since recession’s official end, economy short 11.5 million jobs
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Oct. 7, 2010 | Far more unemployed workers than job openings
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Sept. 16, 2010 | A lost decade: Poverty and income trends paint a bleak picture for working families
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Sept. 8, 2010 | 4.8 unemployed workers for every job opening in July
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Sept. 3, 2010 | Employment growth continues subpar performance
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Aug. 11, 2010 | For four out of five unemployed workers, there are no jobs
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Aug. 6, 2010 | A Labor Market Stuck in Neutral
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July 13, 2010 | Job seekers still face intolerable odds
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July 2, 2010 | Job Creation at a Glacial Pace
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June 4, 2010 | Absent temporary employment, no job growth in May
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May 11, 2010 | Unemployed workers outnumber job openings 5.6-to-one in March
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May 7, 2010 | Large jump in private-sector jobs, but unemployment increases to 9.9%
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April 6, 2010 | There were 5.5 job seekers per job opening in February
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April 2, 2010 | Positive job growth, but not enough to reduce unemployment rate
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March 9, 2010 | Job openings improve, but still more than 5 unemployed workers per available job
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March 5, 2010 | Job market stuck on ‘‘pause’’
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Feb. 5, 2010 | Unemployment drops to 9.7% despite more job losses
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Jan. 12, 2010 | Number of job seekers per job opening rises to 6.4 in November
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Jan. 8, 2010 | Labor market closes 2009 with no sign of robust jobs recovery
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Dec. 8, 2009 | 6.3 job seekers per job opening in October
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Nov. 10, 2009 | 6.1 job seekers per job opening in September
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Oct. 9, 2009 | Number of job seekers per available job continues steep climb
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Oct. 2, 2009 | Jobs Picture for October 2, 2009
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Sept. 10, 2009 | New 2008 poverty, income data reveal only tip of the recession iceberg
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Sept. 9, 2009 | Number of unemployed workers per available job continues to climb
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Sept. 4, 2009 | Jobs Picture, September 4, 2009
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Sept. 1, 2009 | Long-term unemployment soars
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Aug. 7, 2009 | Jobs Picture for August 7, 2009
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Aug. 3, 2009 | The steep rise in unemployment continues
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July 7, 2009 | Nearly six unemployed workers per available job
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July 2, 2009 | Jobs Picture for July 2, 2009
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June 16, 2009 | Highest unemployment rate since 1983
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June 9, 2009 | Less than one job opening for every five job seekers
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June 5, 2009 | Jobs Picture, June 5, 2009
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June 3, 2009 | The Wage Implosion
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June 2, 2009 | The worst downturn since the Great Depression
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May 12, 2009 | Nearly five unemployed workers for every available job
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May 8, 2009 | Jobs picture, May 8, 2009
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May 7, 2009 | Seven million jobs needed to return to pre-recession employment levels
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April 7, 2009 | More than four unemployed workers for every job opening
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April 3, 2009 | Jobs report offers no sign of light at end of tunnel
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March 6, 2009 | Unemployment at highest rate in over 25 years
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Feb. 10, 2009 | Finding work twice as hard as when recession began a year ago
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Feb. 6, 2009 | Labor market has worst month since recession began
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Jan. 9, 2009 | Job losses ballooned in final quarter of 2008
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Dec. 5, 2008 | Job losses accelerate at alarming rate in November
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Nov. 7, 2008 | Unemployment rate reaches highest level in over 14 years (Jobs Picture, November 7, 2008)
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Oct. 3, 2008 | Jobs Picture, October 3, 2008
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Sept. 9, 2008 | Jobs Picture, September 9, 2008—Special Issue
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Sept. 5, 2008 | Jobs Picture, September 5, 2008
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Aug. 1, 2008 | Jobs Picture, August 1, 2008
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Feb. 4, 2008 | Long-term unemployment warrants action now and is projected to get worse
Testimony
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March 10, 2011 | EPI testimony at House hearing ‘New Jobs in Recession and Recovery: Who Are Getting Them and Who Are Not’
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April 23, 2009 | UI Testimony to Ways and Means Committee
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May 23, 2008 | Unemployment Insurance Extension Passes Senate, 75 to 22
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April 14, 2008 | EPI Statement on Extending Unemployment Insurance
Book
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Sept. 1, 2008 | The State of Working America 2008/2009

Commentary
Sept. 13, 2012 | Priority No. 1 for job creation: Aid to state and local governments
March 21, 2012 | Labor force participation skewing unemployment numbers
March 13, 2012 | Housing lock not keeping unemployment high
March 6, 2012 | Temp jobs are not the new norm
Feb. 28, 2012 | High unemployment not primarily driven by lost construction jobs
Feb. 22, 2012 | A bright red flag amid optimism on jobs and the economy
Feb. 14, 2012 | The long term unemployed aren’t lazy, there just aren’t any jobs
Feb. 8, 2012 | It is not the right workers we are lacking, it is work
Jan. 31, 2012 | Remembering why things are so bad
March 30, 2011 | The long road back to full employment
Sept. 16, 2010 | “Yet another reminder of the severity of the Great Recession”
Jan. 12, 2010 | Number of job seekers per job opening rises to 6.4 in November
Dec. 4, 2009 | Signs of healing in the labor market, though unemployment remains in double digits
Nov. 25, 2009 | Teenage Jobs and Minimum Wage
Nov. 6, 2009 | At 10.2%, October’s unemployment is a wake-up call
Oct. 2, 2009 | Jobs Picture for October 2, 2009
Sept. 10, 2009 | Child poverty: a lost decade
April 23, 2009 | UI Testimony to Ways and Means Committee
April 7, 2009 | More than four unemployed workers for every job opening
Feb. 12, 2009 | True unemployment may be close to 10 percent
Feb. 10, 2009 | Finding work twice as hard as when recession began a year ago
April 14, 2008 | EPI Statement on Extending Unemployment Insurance