Recent years have seen a push in the U.S. and in a number of European countries, including the U.K. and Germany, for governments to adopt `point systems’ for screening prospective immigrants on human capital criteria. The appeal of a `points system’ reflects not only concerns about the potential adverse effects of unskilled migrant flows on … Continue reading
In the United States, employment rates at older ages are comparatively high at 62% among 55-64 year-olds against 59% on average in OECD countries in 2016. However, there are large disparities across population groups. Early retirement remains a widespread phenomenon, especially among workers from vulnerable socio-economic backgrounds. Preventing old-age disparities in terms of employment outcomes … Continue reading
As the United States struggles with how to match good jobs to the two-thirds of adults who do not have a four-year college degree, his experience shows how a worker’s skills can be emphasized over traditional hiring filters like college degrees, work history and personal references. And elevating skills over pedigree creates new pathways to … Continue reading
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 313,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment rose in construction, retail trade, professional and business services,manufacturing, financial activities, and mining. Household Survey Data In February, the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the fifth consecutive … Continue reading
The gains women have made over the past several decades in labor force participation, wages and access to more lucrative positions have strengthened their position in the American workforce. Even so, there is gender imbalance in the workplace, and women who report that their workplace has more men than women have a very different set … Continue reading
For decades, economists have studied the effects of the minimum wage on employees in the United States. These studies have largely focused on the employment effects for low- skilled workers – with the principal focus on teenagers. Overall, there is some controversy regarding whether disemployment effects exist, with some studies finding no effects,although with more … Continue reading
U.S. women earn more college degrees than men overall, but earn a minority of undergraduate degrees issued in stem fields In their study of gender disparities in education and employment, Ana Maria Munoz-Boudet and Ana Revenga, two experts from the World Bank, found that gender gaps in STEM fields are common around the world. … Continue reading
In a forthcoming paper for the Journal of Human Resources, co-authored with Federal Reserve Board of Governors Senior Economist Nicholas Turner, we generate comprehensive new estimates of labor market outcomes and debt incurred by students in vocational (or career-technical education, “CTE”) certificate programs in the for-profit sector. We compare for-profit students’ outcomes to the outcomes … Continue reading
American postsecondary education faces urgency to respond to a decades-long shift in the labor market: a declining share of good jobs today are available to those with a high school diploma or less. But too few American students are completing postsecondary education. Just over half of college enrollees will graduate within six years and the … Continue reading
As employers lament a shortage of skilled workers, families bemoan the cost of higher education, and high schools struggle to prepare students for college and career, one solution is gaining steam: youth apprenticeship. “So, what are you doing next year?” It’s a common question American high school students face from teachers, neighbors, their friends, and … Continue reading
How many immigrants reside in the United States? More than 43.7 million immigrants resided in the United States in 2016, accounting for 13.5 percent of the total U.S. population of 323.1 million, according to American Community Survey (ACS) data. Between 2015 and 2016, the foreign-born population increased by about 449,000, or 1 percent, a rate … Continue reading
With the nationwide unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, the lowest since 2000, economists have been surprised by the slow growth in workers’ paychecks. Historically, when that few people are unemployed, companies have had to pay more to attract workers — simple supply and demand. But maybe competition for workers isn’t quite as intense as the … Continue reading
Employment in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations has grown 79% since 1990, from 9.7 million to 17.3 million, outpacing overall U.S. job growth. There’s no single standard for which jobs count as STEM, and this may contribute to a number of misperceptions about who works in STEM and the difference that having a … Continue reading
For women working in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) jobs, the workplace is a different, sometimes more hostile environment than the one their male coworkers experience. Discrimination and sexual harassment are seen as more frequent, and gender is perceived as more of an impediment than an advantage to career success. Three groups of women … Continue reading
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 148,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment gains occurred in health care, construction, and manufacturing. Household Survey Data In December, the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the third consecutive month. The number of unemployed … Continue reading