While an obvious argument that some make is for the other parent to work as well, the topic then becomes the cost of childcare. According to the most recent data from the Economic Policy Institute, the cost of childcare is as high as $2,363 per month (Washington, D.C.). It explains that childcare is considered “affordable” if it costs no more than 7 percent of a family’s income; however, there’s no state where the average falls within that threshold for families earning the median income. To put that into perspective, child care is more expensive than rent in 17 states, according to EPI’s fact sheets.
Men's Journal
October 6, 2025
Incorrectly identifying Wilcox as an NLRB commissioner (the NLRB has no commissioners) Trump wrote he believed Wilcox “unduly” disfavored employers. The implications, said Margaret Poydock of the Economic Policy Institute, is that the newly-appointed board members are expected to rule in favor of employers. That could negatively influence unions’ decisions to bring issues before the board, Poydock told TPM.
“[Trump] kind of gave this justification that if a board member is not favoring employers, they might risk losing their job,” Poydock said of Trump’s letter firing Wilcox. “So workers or union organizers or labor unions may not want to go to a board whose kind of mandate is to favor an employer over the worker.”
Poydock co-authored an article which found the NLRB has continued to process cases through its 12 regional offices, where most cases are handled.
Talking Points Memo
October 6, 2025
17,000 federal workers in the Pittsburgh metro area, per the Economic Policy Institute [paywall].
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
October 6, 2025
“Trump policies — chaotic and high tariffs, mass deportations, attacks on the federal workforce — have already led to a softening labor market and more inflationary pressures,” Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, posted to Bluesky. (1)
MoneyWise
October 6, 2025
As Cass points out in his book, there is a significant body of research documenting the positive impact that unions have not only for union workers but for non-union workers as well. According to a recent report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), on average a union worker earns 12.8% more in wages than an equivalent non-union worker in the same sector with a similar education, occupation, and experience.
CT Insider
October 6, 2025
As of the morning of Oct. 2, eight federal employees have filed unemployment claims, according to a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The agency said it is prepared to assist federal workers living in the state who have been furloughed due to the federal government shutdown.
Below is a breakdown of the federal workforce by county in Colorado. The data was compiled by the Economic Policy Institute.
Denver Gazette
October 6, 2025
A new report is showing the pay gap teachers face in Minnesota compared to other professions.
The Economic Policy Institute and Center for Economic and Policy Research analyzed the teacher pay penalty, which is the gap between the weekly wages of teachers and other college graduates. According to the report, it reached a record high in 2024 at 26.9%.
It shows Minnesota has the fourth-highest gap of any state, with teachers making about 33% less than college graduates working in other professions.
KTSP (Minnesota)
October 6, 2025
Under the current administration, the power of the EEOC, an organization designed to enforce employee protections, could be severely weakened, indicated the Economic Policy Institute. Following Trump’s executive order indicating that federal agencies would deprioritize disparate impact cases, some have pointed out how this decision will limit the EEOC’s ability to address workplace discrimination.
Forbes
October 6, 2025
The Economic Policy Institute’s Elise Gould, who researches wages and economic inequality, said she knows of no precedent for a job where the absolute pay hasn’t risen in 30 years. “It’s a little hard to believe,” she said.
The 74 Million
October 6, 2025
Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Economic Policy Institute, a left-of-center think tank, told PolitiFact that the H-1B visa fee must be paid by the employer, not the employee.
“The H-1B employees are generally not allowed to pay for the primary fees for visas and processing, they are the responsibility of the employer,” Costa said via email Sept. 24.
Politifact
October 6, 2025