Jobs & the Economy

How Should Mass. Respond to the COVID-19 Crisis?

We Must Provide Robust Economic Relief and Recovery for Vulnerable Populations and Children in Massachusetts Policy is the lever that we can pull to bring collective well-being and economic security to the Commonwealth. We are in an unprecedented moment, one which is bringing our interconnectedness into stark focus. A moment in which our public goods are being put to …

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Massachusetts Poverty Rate and Median Income Improved in 2018, but Not by Enough

The United States is in the midst of the longest economic expansion in its history, following the Great Recession with sustained recovery. Massachusetts’ economy today exemplifies this, highlighted by continued job growth and a very low unemployment rate that is consistently below the national level. If a rising tide lifts all boats, we should see all Massachusetts residents benefiting, but this isn’t the case.

Shifting the Balance: How a Massachusetts “Fair Workweek” Law Can Protect Workers and their Families from Unstable Schedules

As laid out in a companion report, Wrong on Schedule: How Unstable Scheduling Hurts Massachusetts Workers and their Families, employers in low-wage service industries like food service and retail often change or cancel hourly workers’ shifts at the last minute, and these schedules can fluctuate wildly from one period to another. Many employers force their …

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Wrong on Schedule: How Unstable Scheduling Hurts Massachusetts Workers and their Families

Over the next several years, Massachusetts will see more job openings in hourly retail and food service positions (salespersons, cashiers, fast food workers, and wait staff) than in almost any other occupation. For workers paid by the hour, time, as the saying goes, is money — literally. That means they need to count on stable, sufficient, and predictable schedules, which allow them to earn a decent living, and have time to take care of themselves and their families.

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