EPI in the news

• It’s Time, People! (to raise the minimum wage)

  The next political question is what and when. Which specific proposal should Ds coalesce around and when should they launch it? The “when” is truly above my paygrade. I’d say after the midterms but well before the presidential, but that’s not informed.

  For the what, read this by Ben Zipperer, a highly knowledgeable, rigorously empirical economist who is, as noted, often Dube’s partner on min wg research.

  The proposal, as you see, is to set a relative minimum wage (versus an absolute level, like $15), at two-thirds of the median wage, phasing it in over time and then indexing to the actual change in the median:

  Jared Bernstein's Substack | May 29, 2026
• New NC college graduates urge lawmakers to address rising costs, job market challenges

  Recent college graduates are also having a tougher time finding their first job. According to the Economic Policy Institute, unemployment among young college graduates climbed to more than 5% this spring.

  CBS 17 (North Carolina | May 29, 2026
• Washington implosion, California leak put spotlight on chemical safety failures

  Another issue is a lack of oversight by the federal government.

  The Trump administration has rolled back regulations and protections for workers. It also lowered the number of workers at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, to its lowest level in nearly five decades.

  Straight Arrow News | May 29, 2026
• Where El Pasoans are moving, and what those destinations offer

  Cost of living can be measured in a number of ways. The nonprofit Economic Policy Institute has built a measure of what it costs in metropolitan areas to maintain what it calls “a modest but adequate lifestyle.” That means a standard of living that covers basic needs and allows a family to live with stability and dignity, but without luxuries or substantial extras. For this analysis, El Paso Matters is using EPI’s numbers for a family with two parents and two children.

  El Paso Matters | May 29, 2026
• An Investigation Into Arizona School Voucher Funds Has Ended With a Woman Pleading Guilty To Stealing Nearly $30K

  However, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) says voucher programs can harm public schools by diverting funds that would otherwise improve educational access. Not only that, EPI claims it can cause inequity, since some vouchers will undoubtedly go to children who have never been (and never planned to be) in public school, removing funding that would’ve otherwise helped improve the educational experience for students who remained in public school.

  Parade Magazine | May 29, 2026
• It will take 200 years for the average worker to match annual CEO pay

  According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average CEO earned 60 times the typical worker in 1989; by 2000, that ratio had jumped to 380:1. As of 2024, CEOs are paid 281 times as much as the average worker. Between 1978 and 2024—nearly a half century—wages for the average worker have increased by just 26%. In that same time period, however, CEO pay has spiked by 1,094%. 

  Fast Company | May 29, 2026
• Pros and Cons of Wage Hike

  Those of us working to improve child wellbeing are watching this issue because parents’ low wages have a negative impact on children, making nutritious food, safe housing, childcare and necessary transportation harder to access. The Economic Policy Institute reports 200,000 Oklahoma children have parents who would get raises should the state question pass, taking many off state-subsidized programs, therefore reducing reliance on government aid. A minimum wage of $10 or greater also improves birth outcomes and children’s health and development, reduces child maltreatment, and has minimal negative impacts on employment.

  The Watonga Republican (Oklahoma) | May 29, 2026

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