Labor Markets

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Escalation in Ukraine, a Trilateral Imperialist Threat, Disaster Recovery: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the risk of escalation in Ukraine, the threat of a North-Korea-Russia-China partnership, the economics of disaster recovery, and more.

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Disaster Recovery Creates Its Own Bubble

Shortages of workers and materials inevitably make rebuilding slower and more expensive after a natural disaster. In Maui, this is likely to be a problem for agencies like FEMA that provide public assistance. But it will also be a problem for individual households if private insurance payouts are insufficient to rebuild.

Aaron Strong @resourceecon

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The Four-Day School Week, AI and Social Media Manipulation, School Safety: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the costs and benefits of a four-day school week, how artificial intelligence is bringing a new era of social media manipulation, the effects of placing police officers in schools, and more.

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A Potential Alternative for Regulating Internet-Based Platform Services

The use of internet-based platform services like Amazon, DoorDash, and Uber Eats is increasing and can be helpful. But the companies that offer these services may be engaging in predatory practices that can harm users and local businesses. Some form of centralized policy action may help; local governments could play a more active role.

Swaptik Chowdhury, Timothy Marler

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The EU Can't Treat Ukrainian Refugees Like Short-Term Visitors

Although EU countries, communities, and citizens have been very welcoming to Ukrainian refugees, it is not enough to treat them as short-term visitors, meet their immediate humanitarian needs, and let them wait out the war. By educating and employing them instead, EU countries can enrich their own communities and support Ukraine.

Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Thomas S. Szayna

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Reflecting on the Pandemic, RAND Turns 75, Labor Trafficking: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, 75 years of influential RAND research, reducing labor trafficking in the United States, and more.

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The Army Should Be Looking for a Few Older Soldiers

Recruiting older people to enlist in the Army could help increase numbers, quality, and talent. Individuals who enlist over the age of 21 perform better as soldiers on several metrics. Recruiters have noted that older recruits are of higher quality, more focused, and more motivated.

Ryan Haberman @RJ_Haberman, Michael S. Pollard @MichaelSPollard

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Long COVID Is a Mass Disability. The Labor Market Is in Denial

Forget the work-from-home revolution or quiet quitting: The COVID-19 pandemic's biggest impact on the U.S. labor market will be as a mass disability event. It's a shock that the economy is not well prepared to handle.

Kathryn A. Edwards

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How COVID-19 Transformed the Jobs Market

The COVID-19 pandemic initially devastated the U.S. economy. It also exposed and exacerbated existing inequities in society. But in as yet unpredictable ways, it may have accelerated profound changes in how labor works today.

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

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Measure ULA Reflects the Wrong Lessons from Proposition HHH

Los Angeles voters approved the so-called “mansion tax,” Measure ULA, which proponents suggested will raise funds for about 26,000 new units of affordable housing over the next decade. But a key labor provision casts doubt on that optimistic projection.

Jason M. Ward @jason_m_ward

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Green Jobs and Skills Development for Disadvantaged Groups

Many countries have plans to increase green job opportunities. To make sure that everyone can benefit from this promised green transition, it is important to understand how people with low qualifications, and other marginalised groups, might be able to access green jobs.

Joanna Hofman @JoannaBHofman, Katrin Feyerabend, et al.

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Legalizing Cannabis, the Russian Nuclear Threat, Digital Offshoring: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on cannabis legalization, the Russian nuclear threat, the effects of digital offshoring, and more.

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Got a Labor Shortage? Make It Easier to Work

If the United States wants to avoid a long-term worker shortage, it should look to what policy can—but has failed to—fully address. We have a long history using carrots and sticks, but this is a problem we may not be able to cajole or punish our way out of. Finding workers can be as simple as giving more people a chance to work.

Kathryn A. Edwards

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Recovered, but Not Whole: U.S. Jobs Rebounded, but Not for Everyone

The U.S. recovery from the pandemic recession has been remarkable. But it's important to note that both the recession and its recovery treated men and women differently, and treated women of color differently than white women.

Kathryn A. Edwards

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Is a Recession Coming? A Key Indicator Is Also the King of Mixed Messages

When fears of inflation arise in the United States, people start paying a lot of attention to weekly unemployment-insurance claims, as an early indicator of layoffs that could augur a broader slump. But unemployment claims are a flawed gauge that may be particularly skewed by the pandemic.

Kathryn A. Edwards