Labor Markets

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  • Doug Hassebroek eats breakfast while on a video conference call at his home in Brooklyn, April 24, 2020, photo by Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

    Report

    COVID-19 and the Changing Nature of Work

    Jun 18, 2020

    Between February and May, one in six U.S. workers lost their jobs. Most were either laid off or unable to work because of coronavirus restrictions. The ability to telecommute protected against job loss. But of course not all jobs are conducive to telecommuting.

  • Women at Azhar Park in Cairo, Egypt, October 2008, photo by Claudia Wiens/Alamy

    Report

    Women in Egypt Face Barriers to Employment

    Apr 21, 2020

    Large gains in educational attainment among women in Egypt have not been matched with gains in the workplace. Obstacles preventing them from securing employment include tensions between work and family responsibilities, lack of mobility, wage gaps, and fear of sexual harassment.

Explore Labor Markets

  • An oil and gas worker operates a drilling rig

    Report

    Wages, Employment, and STEM Education in Appalachia

    An ongoing assessment of employment and wages in energy and advanced manufacturing industries in the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia region captures trends about which counties might have greater demand for educating or employing local talent in STEM careers.

    Mar 22, 2017

  • Teacher talking to his university students

    Report

    Managing the Expansion of Graduate Education in Texas

    RAND researchers analyzed policies and practices that the state, higher education systems, and individual higher education institutions in Texas can use to manage the expansion of their master's, doctoral, and professional programs.

    Mar 3, 2017

  • Report

    Report

    Managing the Expansion of Graduate Education in Texas: Executive Summary

    RAND researchers analyzed policies and practices that the state, higher education systems, and individual higher education institutions in Texas can use to manage the expansion of their master's, doctoral, and professional programs.

    Mar 3, 2017

  • Adult students attending a computer course

    Commentary

    Community Colleges Can Be 'First Responders' in Retraining Displaced Workers

    Many of the occupations with the most opportunities require two-year degrees or certificates. Community colleges play a key role in training students for these jobs and offer a supportive environment for displaced and dissatisfied workers.

    Feb 16, 2017

  • Metal tooth wheel mechanism concept of inequality and equality

    Commentary

    Curbing Globalization Won't Halt the Rise of Inequality

    Globalization may be one of many factors driving inequality. But ending trade agreements and throwing up trade barriers is unlikely to stop this trend.

    Dec 14, 2016

  • Young barista working in a cafe

    Commentary

    Finding the 'Sweet Spot' in the UK Minimum Wage Debate

    Increases in the UK national minimum wages have not had adverse effects on employment overall. But it's important that the new national living wage and minimum wage aren’t increased to a point that is unsustainable for businesses.

    Nov 28, 2016

  • The blast furnaces at the now-closed Bethlehem Steel mill remain standing in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, April 22, 2016

    Commentary

    America's Shifting Labor Market in a Technology-Driven World

    Making America competitive in a transitioning market will require examining future labor market requirements. Workforce development programs that target building labor capacity for a new economy will be essential.

    Nov 25, 2016

  • Antoine van Agtmael, Lawrence Ingrassia, and Randal Quarles at RAND's Politics Aside event in Santa Monica, November 12, 2016

    Blog

    Who Wins Globalization?

    While more needs to be done for those who once worked in industries such as furniture manufacturing, where essentially all activity has moved to lower-cost nations, the U.S. is starting to see an increase in manufacturing activity because of new types of technological advances.

    Nov 14, 2016

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Using the Pareto Distribution to Improve Estimates of Topcoded Earnings

    Using Pareto estimation methods with less-censored internal data, we create an enhanced cell-mean series to capture top earnings in the public-use data.

    Nov 4, 2016

  • Report

    Report

    Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and its long-term effects on educational and labour market outcomes

    Investing in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) yields high rates of return for children later in life, however long term outcomes depends on the successful integration of policies aimed at improving ECEC quality and attendance rates.

    Oct 13, 2016

  • Political cartoon of a Republican elephant and Democrat donkey

    Multimedia

    Survey Says? Inside RAND's Election Poll

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, our panel of experts discusses the latest results of the RAND Presidential Election Panel Survey (PEPS), and what they might portend for Election Day.

    Oct 6, 2016

  • LED map of the continental United States

    Essay

    Election 2016: The Domestic Issues

    RAND offers a unique take on the big domestic issues facing America: research that is independent, reliable, and rigorously nonpartisan.

    Oct 3, 2016

  • A businessman giving a presentation to his team

    Multimedia

    Workforce Development for the Jobs of the Future

    In this Events @ RAND podcast, our panel of experts discusses what California, the federal government, and employers are doing to nurture a workforce that is well prepared for the jobs of today and the future.

    Sep 1, 2016

  • A ship is unloaded using Super Post Panamax cranes in Miami, Florida, May 19, 2016

    Commentary

    Eliminating Jobs or Strengthening the Economy? The Impact of Trade Policies on the American Worker

    The enormous benefits of trade include economic growth, more variety for industry and consumers, and lower prices. But trade can displace some American workers. Training programs, relocation assistance, and wage insurance can help.

    Aug 30, 2016

  • A senior man working on a tablet

    Commentary

    Living Longer, Working Longer

    When people live longer, the costs of Social Security and Medicare increase and threaten the sustainability of these programs. Households also worry about how to finance more retirement years. But people are working longer, and if they continue to do so, they will reduce some of the problems.

    Aug 25, 2016

  • A man working at a 3D printer

    Commentary

    Evolving 21st-Century Workplace and the American Workforce: Trends and Policy Responses

    Three trends have important implications for the future of work: a shifting demography toward older workers, more women, and more diversity; continuing technological change that will increase the demand for skilled workers; and increased globalization.

    Aug 23, 2016

  • Job seekers wait to enter a job fair in downtown Denver, Colorado, March 13, 2014

    Commentary

    Labor Day Blog Series: American Worker

    To celebrate Labor Day, the American Worker series of commentaries offers research, reflections, and policy insights on a variety of topics that affect American workers.

    Aug 22, 2016

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Workplace Skills in Practice: Case Studies of Technical Work

    The study used a sociocultural approach to examine skills and work-related dispositions (tendencies to use one's capabilities on the job) in four diverse industries.

    Jun 28, 2016

  • Young people waiting for a job interview

    Commentary

    Young Workers Without College Degrees Face Uncomfortable Truths

    Young Americans without a college education suffer from high unemployment, low earnings, and delayed adulthood with a limited ability to buy a home. To help them, policymakers need to remind themselves that workforce training and labor policy must focus on the technology-driven jobs of tomorrow.

    Jun 23, 2016

  • Graduates wearing caps and gowns

    Commentary

    Making the 'Gap Year' More Inclusive and Purposeful

    High schools and universities should work together, with the support of policymakers, to develop programs that would provide a wider spectrum of U.S. students with the opportunity to take a purposeful gap year—and enter college with some real-world adult experience behind them.

    May 19, 2016

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