In 2020, research from the Economic Policy Institute found that 60% of H-1B positions in fiscal 2019 approved by the U.S. Department of Labor paid less than the regional median wage. It also noted instances of companies like Uber increasing H-1B hiring while simultaneously laying off U.S. workers.
Higher Ed Dive
February 2, 2026
Heidi Shierholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute, warned that Amazon’s latest cuts were relatively small compared to the wider U.S. economy.
“It’s really important to put them into the context that we normally have 1.7 million layoffs every month,” she said. But the broad slowdown in hiring across sectors is concerning, she said.
“Right now if you lose your job, it’s much harder to find a new one than it was in 2022 to 2024,” she said.
The Washington Post
February 2, 2026
Features interview with Elise Gould.
CNBC
February 2, 2026
Cites EPI research on child labor.
Charleston Gazette-Mail
February 2, 2026
According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), more than 8.3 million U.S. workers will benefit from minimum wage hikes that went into effect on Jan. 1.
…
A review of studies on minimum wage increases, co-authored by one of EPI’s members in 2024, showed the majority of them found “no job losses or only small disemployment effects.”
MoneyWise
February 2, 2026
Researchers at the Economic Policy Institute estimate that enrollment dips could cost Ohio public schools millions of dollars in educational spending, with some forced to close their doors altogether.
Gander Newsroom
February 2, 2026
Nationally, the bus driver shortage has gotten better, but only marginally. According to a recent study from the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, the number of bus drivers increased by roughly 2,300 (1.1%) from 2024 to 2025, it’s still down 9.5% from 2019.
Alabama Political Reporter
February 2, 2026
According to the Economic Policy Institute, affordability is shaped by workers’ paychecks keeping pace with the cost of living. Since they haven’t been, people can no longer afford necessities like housing, rent and credit card interest rates.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
February 2, 2026
– Cost of living: Affordability is often the No. 1 factor when deciding where to relocate. To research and compare the cost of living from your current location to where you would like to move, use the previously mentioned BestPlaces.net, the Economic Policy Institute Family Budget Calculator at EPI.org/resources/budget
Altoona Mirror
February 2, 2026
Finally, according to the Economic Policy Institute, American teachers earn 26% less than other similarly educated professionals and it is one of the largest such gaps in the world.
North State Parent Magazine
February 2, 2026