employment – Chris Govella

On the So-Called Skills Gap

As unemployment in the labor pool rose, so did the requirements for education and experience from employers. What was portrayed by Chamber of Commerce and economists as a ‘skills gap’ was the consequence of high unemployment, not the cause. “The Skills Gap was a Lie”, Matthew Yglesias

Returns on Capital to Labor and Higher Costs?

Although some analysts warned of inflation, Ms. Girard said the pay increase should not bother policymakers at the Federal Reserve. “I don’t think it’s something the Fed should worry about,” she said. “Productivity growth is picking up, and workers should earn more. It doesn’t mean companies have to pass on higher wage costs to consumers. […]

Unemployment Rates for Black Residents in Washington DC

Linnea Lassiter at DCFPI wrote a paper on the growing unemployment rates for Black D.C. residents, and the Washington City Paper has done a recap. One hypothesis is that the culprit is a booming D.C. economy that has drawn an influx of jobs and labor that typically go to white, college-educated applicants, combined with the […]