Economic Policy Institute – Blog

Economic Policy Institute – Blog

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Labor markets, wages, inflation, unemployment, and fiscal policy.

Unemployment Has Increased for U.S.-born Workers in the Face of Mass Deportations: Trump’s Draconian Immigration Enforcement Is Harming All Workers
NewsApr 3, 2026

Unemployment Has Increased for U.S.-born Workers in the Face of Mass Deportations: Trump’s Draconian Immigration Enforcement Is Harming All Workers

During the 2024 campaign, Trump and Vance claimed mass deportations would free jobs for Americans. Recent labor data contradicts that promise: the three‑month average unemployment rate for U.S.-born workers rose to 4.3% in 2026, up from 4.0% in 2024. Economic...

By Economic Policy Institute – Blog
Voluntary Paid Leave Insurance Is No Substitute for Comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave: Workers Lose when Lawmakers Pass the...
NewsApr 1, 2026

Voluntary Paid Leave Insurance Is No Substitute for Comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave: Workers Lose when Lawmakers Pass the...

U.S. remains the only OECD nation without a national paid family and medical leave (PFML) system, prompting many states to adopt either comprehensive PFML programs or voluntary private‑insurance models. While 13 states and Washington, D.C. have enacted universal PFML laws...

By Economic Policy Institute – Blog
How AI Spending Is Impacting the U.S. Economy
NewsMar 12, 2026

How AI Spending Is Impacting the U.S. Economy

AI-driven capital expenditures are currently contributing just over one percentage point to U.S. GDP growth, buoyed by a stock‑market rally that has turned consumption into a bubble‑like surge. Much of this spending is financed through vulnerable credit structures, raising concerns...

By Economic Policy Institute – Blog
U.S. Economy Lost an Alarming 92,000 Jobs in February: Private Sector Experienced Vast Majority of Losses, One-Third Were Due to...
NewsMar 6, 2026

U.S. Economy Lost an Alarming 92,000 Jobs in February: Private Sector Experienced Vast Majority of Losses, One-Third Were Due to...

The U.S. labor market contracted sharply in February, shedding 92,000 jobs, with the private sector absorbing the bulk of the loss. Temporary strikes in health care accounted for roughly one‑third of the decline, while manufacturing shed another 12,000 positions, bringing...

By Economic Policy Institute – Blog
EPI’s Updated Family Budget Calculator Shows that Higher Minimum Wages Are Needed in States Like Oklahoma to Afford the Cost...
NewsMar 4, 2026

EPI’s Updated Family Budget Calculator Shows that Higher Minimum Wages Are Needed in States Like Oklahoma to Afford the Cost...

The Economic Policy Institute’s updated 2025 Family Budget Calculator reveals that the federal‑state minimum wage of $7.25 is far below the hourly earnings needed to cover basic expenses in every U.S. county, with Oklahoma exemplifying the shortfall. In Oklahoma’s cheapest...

By Economic Policy Institute – Blog
A Growing Number of Workers Went on Strike in 2025
NewsFeb 20, 2026

A Growing Number of Workers Went on Strike in 2025

New Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveal that 306,800 workers participated in 30 major work stoppages in 2025, a 13% rise from the previous year. Public‑sector strikes dominated, accounting for 17 of the incidents, while private‑sector actions included a 46‑day...

By Economic Policy Institute – Blog