Coming (Very) Soon: Public’s First Look at DOL Proposed Rule on Alternative Investments

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Critics such as the Economic Policy Institute also warn that expanding access to alternatives could expose participants to higher fees, added complexity, and weaker protections, arguing that institutional investors themselves have been pulling back from these strategies. Supporters, however, contend that with proper structure and clearer rules, fiduciaries can responsibly incorporate alternatives into professionally managed solutions.

401K Specialist March 26, 2026

After past vetoes, Democratic-controlled legislature sends Virginia Equal Pay Act to governor

Supporters say the legislation addresses structural issues that contribute to the gender pay gap, which persists nationwide despite decades of policy efforts.

A recent analysis by the Economic Policy Institute found that the gap widened slightly in 2025, with women on average earning about 83 cents for every dollar earned by men, down from roughly 84 cents the year before.

The report also found that Black and Hispanic women continue to face even wider disparities, earning significantly less than white, non-Hispanic men.

Virginia Mercury March 26, 2026

Businesses Need Sound Tax Policy to Attract and Keep H-1B Workers

Labor organizations such as the Economic Policy Institute argue temporary worker programs are dominated by staffing companies and large corporations, and …[paywall].

Bloomberg Law March 26, 2026

PolitiFact FL: James Fishback says underemployment for young US college grads is 70%, is it true?

Our sources:

Economic Policy Institute, Useful Definitions, Accessed March 19, 2026

WLRN March 26, 2026

Why paid sick leave is a DEI issue

These findings about a lack of paid sick leave coverage for Black women are compounded by earlier research from the Economic Policy Institute, which indicated that Black women experienced the greatest job loss out of all groups of women and lost more jobs compared to Black men throughout 2025.

Black women’s employment fell by 1.4% to 55.7%, which EPI noted was the sharpest decline in 25 years. And while a number of external factors can influence employment rates for certain demographic groups, a study by Great Place to Work showed that a concrete way to ensure women stay in their jobs is by providing a healthy workplace culture.

HR Dive March 26, 2026

Politicians are trying to make life cheaper. Economists are appalled.

“If you try to push down grocery prices, you could actually start reducing supply. People might start going out of business, or grocery stores close,” said Josh Bivens, chief economist of the liberal Economic Policy Institute. He added: “That price obsession has led to a lot of policy ideas that are just not going to work very well. I am sort of frustrated with where it’s going.”

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Some strands of economic theory would suggest that rather than focus on prices, governments would do better to try to raise people’s incomes, so that they can afford price increases.

“There are a lot of people who have trouble affording enough food on a regular basis. But I think that’s more a problem of they’re not getting enough income from the labor market,” Bivens said. He favors several approaches to raising incomes, including monetary policy aimed at reducing unemployment and labor laws that strengthen unions.

The Washington Post March 26, 2026

In DC., Black workers are losing jobs at the highest rates

Washington, D.C. had the highest unemployment in the country in 2025 with an average unemployment rate of 5.9%, per a new report by the Economic Policy Institute. The U.S. unemployment rate in 2025, on the other hand, loomed around 4.4%.

“The labor market was unambiguously weaker through the first year of Trump’s second term, compared with the last year of Biden’s presidency,” the report, updated March 2026, said. “Sweeping federal job cuts, erratic tariff policies, and a retrenchment from diversity, equity, and inclusion are hallmarks of the 2025 labor market.”

These factors, especially the federal job cuts, contributed to Washington’s higher unemployment rate.

The EPI found that in 2025 D.C. had an average Black unemployment rate of 9.5%, per the institute’s report that looked at state unemployment data by race and ethnicity. White unemployment in D.C. last year was a fraction of that at 3.7%.

Essence March 25, 2026

IRS offers a child care tax break but the math doesn’t add up

Your maximum qualifying expenses are capped at $3,000 for one qualifying child and $6,000 for two or more qualifying children. For a family earning $60,000 per year with one child, the resulting credit works out to roughly $600 after doing the math.

Compare that to what you actually pay out of pocket at a daycare center, and the disconnect becomes painfully obvious. The average annual cost of center-based child care now runs approximately $13,254 per child nationwide, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

The Street March 25, 2026

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March 25, 2026

Topics of the day from EFE Economy on Tuesday, March 24, 2026

New rules from the Donald Trump Administration will add at least 150,000 migrant farm workers with temporary H-2A visas, but will also reduce wages by up to 32%, a collective loss of more than $5 billion for both foreigners and Americans, reveals the Economic Policy Institute.

EFE March 24, 2026