EPI in the news

• Child Labor Is a Growing Problem

  Against this backdrop, at least 10 states are introducing or have passed laws that roll back child labor protections, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank in Washington D.C. Some directly conflict with federal laws. Proposals have included lifting restrictions on hazardous jobs, extending work hours and lowering the age to serve alcohol.

  For example, Iowa passed a law which under certain circumstances allows 14- and 15-year-olds to work on assembly lines and 16-year-olds to serve alcohol. New Jersey extended working hours and Arkansas eliminated work permits for 14- and 15-year-olds. A bill in Wisconsin would allow children as young as 14 to serve alcohol. Most states require those serving alcohol to be at least 18.

  SHRM | September 25, 2023
• A Texas teen was suspended for weeks over his locs hairstyle. Now, his family is suing the governor

  Two dozen states have enacted versions of a CROWN Act, according to the Economic Policy Institute. California was the first to pass the measure in 2019. Legislation for a national CROWN Act has been unsuccessful.

  CNN | September 25, 2023
• Could the UAW auto workers strike reach Orlando?

  Real hourly earnings for auto workers have fallen 19% since 2008, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The Big Three, meanwhile, have made $21 billion in the first six months of 2023 alone, and have paid out billions in stock buybacks over the past 12 months. Their profits nearly doubled from 2013 to 2022.

  Orlando Weekly | September 25, 2023
• Here’s how much you need to retire among the top 10% of Americans — are you falling behind? 3 ways to boost your retirement savings

  According to a study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the average earnings of those in the top 10% of Americans were roughly $173,000 in 2020, the most recent data available.

  MoneyWise | September 25, 2023
• Auto CEOs Make 300 Times What Workers Make. How That Stacks Up.

  After accounting for inflation, auto workers’ wages have fallen about 5.4% between 2019 and July 2023, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think tank.

  The Wall Street Journal | September 25, 2023
• Their podcast is in trouble. A Biden-led crackdown may save them.

  The restrictions often apply to low-wage employees who do not appear to possess trade secrets that should prevent them from working for a competitor — fast-food workers, construction workers and hospitality staff, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank.

  The Washington Post | September 25, 2023
• Biden’s nursing home staffing proposal is dangerously inadequate

  So long as a facility offers the “prevailing wage”— which is notoriously low — it can avoid the minimum staffing requirement. The Economic Policy Institute found that long-term care workers (over 80 percent of whom are women and who are disproportionately Black and immigrant women) are substantially underpaid and most lack any employer-provided retirement or health benefits.  

  The Hill | September 25, 2023

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