“We’re not seeing any evidence yet of improved conditions for [domestic] workers,” said Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Economic Policy Institute. “Some employers, especially in certain industries, have been ready to make a push for more H-2A and H-2B visas… They see that the only way they are going to replace that workforce is with these programs.”
Investigate Midwest
September 8, 2025
“Trump’s blue-collar renaissance is clearly not happening,” Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, wrote in a commentary.
Investopedia
September 8, 2025
Eight states currently have equal wages for tipped and non-tipped workers. In states where tipped wages are $2.13 per hour, the poverty rate for waitstaff and bartenders hovers around 18.5%, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a left-of-center think tank, citing U.S. Census data. For states with one minimum wage, the poverty rate is about 11.1%.
Fortune
September 8, 2025
KALW San Francisco
September 8, 2025
These effects are reshaping the local economy and call into question whether tariffs are achieving their stated goal of boosting U.S. jobs and manufacturing. Joining us on AirTalk today for more is Adam S. Hersh, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, and Ching Fu, Meet Fresh General Manager.
LAist
September 8, 2025
Elise Gould, the director of health policy research at the Economic Policy Institute, similarly noted that “there have… been sustained losses over recent months in manufacturing, construction, and mining,” in recent months, which she said was “an indication that Trump’s blue-collar renaissance is clearly not happening.”
Common Dreams
September 5, 2025
President Donald Trump has also slashed 300,000 jobs from the federal workforce, making the social safety net cuts felt even more acutely. While many of these workers may not participate in these programs, their decreased spending is expected to ripple through their communities, according to Kyle Moore, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute.
SNAP and Medicaid are intended to kick in during economic downturns, softening a crash. But increased work requirements do the opposite, Moore adds.
“In fact, it’s taking away crucial help from families and children which limits their ability to participate in the labor market.”
Politico Women Rule newsletter
September 5, 2025
According to Economic Policy Institute data, the pay for chief executives at major companies in the U.S. rose by 1,085% from 1978 to 2023, with salaries … [paywall].
Fortune
September 5, 2025
But the recovery from the pandemic was uniquely fast, Valerie Wilson, a labor economist and the director of the program on race, ethnicity, and the economy at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, said. There was also a robust policy response at the time to address Americans who were struggling and out of work.
This time, the circumstances feel more uncertain.
“It’s difficult to predict whether we can recover quickly,” Wilson said. “That will depend on how quickly Congress moves to counteract the recession.”
Yahoo Finance
September 5, 2025