Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

We surveyed Americans of all races and ethnicities on tax policy-related issues and found that 59 percent say that passing legislation that helps to decrease income inequality should be an important or top priority for Congress. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gKg_cXEi

How do young Black workers feel they are perceived at work? How do they make decisions about presenting themselves in work settings? Do common media narratives about young Black workers ring true for them? We spoke to 11 young Black workers to find out: https://lnkd.in/dqsXNyZh

The Joint Center’s latest report on pathway staff diversity in the Senate was covered by Politico. Read about it here: https://lnkd.in/eqAEy2g9

Read FOCUS: Inside Black DC (Economic Policy) to learn about: ➡️ U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's testimony on the department’s annual report on the international financial system to Congress. ➡️ The Department of Labor's final ruling on overtime protections ➡️ A new Workforce Act introduced by House Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and more: https://lnkd.in/eWV5FZPu

We want to uplift our researchers who study economic and workforce policy every day on behalf of Black workers: Jessica Fulton, Dr. Kayla Elliott, Justin Nalley Bianca Dacres, and Gabrielle Smith Finnie.

Black women deserve equal pay. Among full-time workers, Black women typically make just 69 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. #BlackWomensEqualPayDay ➡️ According to the National Women's Law Center, Black women lose $22,120 in wages each year due to the pay gap. ➡️ Black women take out an average of $38k in loans to complete a bachelor’s degree, the highest of any race or gender. Eliminating the pay gap could allow Black women to pay off student loan debt w/in TWO YEARS. ➡️ Last week, the Joint Center found that over the last six months, the unemployment rate for Black women has increased from 4.9 percent in January to 6.1 percent in June.

Are you wondering how the latest policies are affecting Black communities? Sign up for our newsletter to get relevant data, news, and information related to hill diversity and economic, tech, and workforce policies. jointcenter.org/newsletter

Read our latest newsletter on federal tech policy and Black communities for the latest data, news, and information on platform accountability, equitable broadband access, and the balance of privacy with algorithmic fairness: https://lnkd.in/e3-rqmkW

For #JobsDay, the Joint Center analyzes the employment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and showcases what the numbers mean for Black workers. Our June Jobs Day analysis from Joint Center Policy Analyst, Workforce Policy Gabrielle Smith Finnie is below. #JobsReport ➡️ From May to June the unemployment rate for Black workers increased from 6.1% to 6.3%, while the unemployment rate slightly increased from 4.0% to 4.1%. ➡️ From May to June, the number of Black workers employed decreased by 73,000. ➡️ In June, Black workers’ labor force participation rate decreased slightly from 62.9% to 62.7%. ➡️ The unemployment rate for young Black workers decreased from 15.6% in May to 15.4% in June while the rate for all young workers also fell to 8.9%. ➡️ As #BlackWomensEqualPayDay approaches, we're paying close attention to how the labor market is affecting Black women. Over the last six months, the unemployment rate for Black women has increased from 4.9% in January to to 6.1% in June. ➡️ 36.1% of Black households reported having either a somewhat or very difficult time paying for basic household expenses in Census Pulse Survey data collected from late April to late May. ➡️ Black renters are experiencing economic instability, as 7.9% reported being behind on rent, in comparison to 3.7% of renters nationwide.

Did you know the Joint Center contributed to a landmark voting rights decision? In 1981, we gathered a group of scholars to study voting rights for Black citizens which led to the book, Minority Vote Dilution. It was cited extensively by the Supreme Court in Thornburg v. Gingles.