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New Analysis Reveals Democrats’ $15 Minimum Wage Would Cost Millions of Jobs: Proposal would wipe out over one million jobs in hospitality industry, already hard-hit by COVID
October 2020
Washington, D.C. (Oct. 19, 2020)— Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) released a new study highlighting the consequences of raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. This policy is a key component of House Democrats’ “Raise the Wage Act,” which passed the House last year. Now, the policy is part of Democrats’ national platform, and is backed by the party’s presidential candidate Joe Biden. In this study, economists Dr.… -
Bummer Summer: 26 States Have Youth Unemployment Rates That Top 30 Percent: Over 20 jurisdictions will raise minimum wages July 1, exacerbating historically bad youth job market
June 2020
Washington, D.C. —A new analysis of Census Bureau data shows that youth unemployment rates rose above 30 percent in 26 states as of May. The teen jobless rate spiked to above 40 percent in seven states—New Jersey, Delaware, Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, and Connecticut—and to 63 percent in Hawaii. The full list of state youth unemployment rates can be viewed here. The data is based on an analysis of… -
New Website Exposes Berkeley Labor Team for its Research Biases: Public records suggest Berkeley researchers are pursuing ideological goals rather than academic ones
September 2019
Washington D.C. – Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) launched Biased Berkeley, which highlights the biases and lack of independence of a team of labor researchers at the University of California-Berkeley. View the website here. This team of researchers–comprised of members of Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research & Education (Labor Center) and the Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics (CWED)–are often treated as independent scholars providing a neutral… -
CBO Reports 3.7 Million Jobs Will Be Destroyed By $15 Minimum Wage: Nonpartisan Report Finds Reductions in Poverty Offset By Lost Jobs
July 2019
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) is highlighting the new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report which estimates that up to 3.7 million jobs would be lost should a federal $15 minimum wage be enacted. The CBO’s mid-point estimate of 1.3 million jobs lost offsets the 1.3 million worker reduction in poverty, and would mean a net reduction in real family income of $9 billion by 2025.… -
Mid-Year Minimum Wage Hikes Hit As Evidence of Negative Consequences Piles Up
June 2019
22 states and localities will raise wages on July 1st Washington, D.C. – Today, The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) is highlighting the 22 minimum wage increases occurring on Monday, July 1st, 2019. These increases include two states, the District of Columbia, and 19 other localities that have the potential to cause job losses and business closures across the nation. You can view the full list of increases here or… -
New Survey: 74 Percent of Economists Oppose $15 Federal Minimum Wage: Eighty-four percent believe it will negatively affect youth employment
March 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) released a new survey conducted by Dr. Lloyd Corder of CorCom Inc., regarding labor economists’ views of a federal $15 minimum wage. The survey identified overwhelming opposition to a $15 minimum wage mandate. View the full survey here. The survey’s key findings are as follows 74 percent oppose raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour; 84…