News and perspective on public policy issues affecting Washington's economy and quality of life, brought to you by the Economic Opportunity Institute.
Childcare costs more than college. Mothers with equal resumes are hired 80 percent less of the time than non-mothers and are offered lower starting salaries. It costs over $200,000 to raise one child from birth to age 18 (not including college). All of this is happening every day in the backdrop of a national a […]
Washington state lost an average 37,000 manufacturing jobs under Republican presidents, and gained almost four times as many – 141,000 – with Democrats in office. State-level manufacturing job growth has varied across the 16 presidential administrations since 1948, with significant gains in most states across the seven Democratic terms and significant losses under the nine […]
A new study demonstrates big retailers could provide the nation a needed economic boost by paying higher wages – all while remaining profitable and continuing to offer low prices. Researchers at Demos have published a new study, titled Retail’s Hidden Potential, that explores the effects of establishing a new wage floor for the lowest-paid retail […]
We hear two views about the high-tech work force. On one hand, employers warn of a dire labor shortage. On the other, recent high-tech graduates can’t find jobs. Many face crushing student loans that they may never pay off. Mid-career high-tech workers are steadily being let go. Discouraged mid-career workers take lower-paid service jobs after months of searching for a job as good as the one they lost.
