EPI in the news

• Biden’s $15 minimum wage plan — here’s who it might help and hurt

  A different estimate from the left-leaning think tank Economic Policy Institute (EPI), which has conducted some of the most extensive research on the subject matter and its economic effects, suggests that about 33.5 million workers would see higher pay, almost two-thirds of them women and 6.2 million currently living in poverty.

  Bankrate | November 17, 2020
• Blackstone CEO Schwarzman says America’s teachers shouldn’t be taxed

  In a report published in September, the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute found that teachers are paid less than other college-educated workers with similar experience, which discourages graduates from entering the teaching profession and contributes to teacher turnover, a problem that’s particularly sharp in areas with higher concentrations of people of color. The pre-pandemic teacher turnover rate of 8% in the US is much higher than in places like Finland, Singapore, and Ontario, Canada, which are known for high-achieving school systems and teacher attrition rates closer to 3% or 4%.

  Quartz | November 17, 2020
• Election results, vaccine news could shake up the outlook for a coronavirus stimulus package. What you need to know about the aid that may be coming

  “It’s been a political game,” said Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute. “The answer is obvious.

  “It’s not a question of what should we do?” she added. “It’s a question of do it.”

  CNBC | November 17, 2020
• Barber Is Hopeful As Business Picks Up After COVID-19 Shutdown

  Before COVID-19 hit, the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, found Latinos were already suffering from higher unemployment rates, significant wage gaps and lower household incomes than their white counterparts.

  WFAE 90.7 | November 17, 2020
• Jill On Money: A snapshot of the post-election economy

  Fresh off his election win, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Congress should focus its energy on approving a new coronavirus stimulus bill “by the end of the year” and it would possibly “do more for state and local governments.” That would be a relief, because without any more money, 5.3 million workers could lose their jobs by the end of 2021 if municipalities don’t get a bailout, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

  Silicon Valley | November 17, 2020
• Florida’s $15 Minimum Wage Vote Might Be a Tipping Point

  “Everyone who follows this recognizes that the main obstacle to raising minimum wages is Republican legislatures,” says Ben Zipperer, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, who has testified in Congress in support of lifting the federal minimum to $15.

  Bloomberg | November 17, 2020
• HEALTHCARE ACCESS: COVID-INDUCED BARRIERS FOR MINORITY COMMUNITIES

  Before COVID-19, minority groups comprised much of the nation’s low wage earners. In a wage report issued by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the group documents how much less African American and Latinx workers are paid than White workers. The numbers show that both Black and Latinx workers have a history of making less income than White workers. By 2019, Black wages were 75.6% of White wages, and Latinx wages were 74.6%.

  Coalition on Human Needs | November 17, 2020

More EPI in the news