News and perspective on public policy issues affecting Washington's economy and quality of life, brought to you by the Economic Opportunity Institute.
New research by the National Partnership for Women and Families puts Seattle at the top of the list for the widest gender wage gap among the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas. That means Seattle women working full-time, year-round make a smaller proportion of men’s earnings than in any other metropolitan area in the country – […]
Nationally, women working full-time earn about 81% of men. Here in Washington, that number drops to 75%. One factor is the presence of information, science and technology jobs in Washington. Important industries for our state economy, they are high-paying sectors dominated by men. In fact, these industries are among the top offenders for large pay […]
Facing unemployment, out-of-pocket medical bills, and a fast-disappearing ladder out of poverty, low- and middle-income Americans are using credit cards to meet basic needs like rent, groceries, and utilities. Since 2008, working families have done everything they can to get by – changing spending habits, paying down debt, taking on 2nd (or 3rd jobs), digging […]
On January 1st, Washington’s minimum wage will increase by 37 cents to $9.04 per hour, in line with a voter-approved law that provides for raising the minimum wage as the cost-of-living goes up. That bump – making Washington’s the best state minimum wage in the nation – will help increase consumer spending at local businesses […]
