Report Labor Force Participation in California By Julien Lafortune, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ... Feb 14, 2024 California’s labor force participation is shrinking, mainly because of an aging population. But significant gaps across demographic groups are also a concern. How can California remove barriers to work, boost participation, and build a strong workforce for years to come?
Report The Great Recession and Distribution of Income in California By Sarah Bohn, Eric Schiff Dec 7, 2011 In the Great Recession and its aftermath, family incomes in California declined across the spectrum. The percentage of Californians living in middle-income families fell to a new low of less than 50 percent. And the gap between the highest and lowest income families grew to its widest in 30 years. This report tracks these trends and considers the effects of unemployment on family income.
California Economic Policy, Report The Workers’ Compensation Crisis in California: A Primer By David Neumark Jan 13, 2005 This issue of California Economic Policy examines why California’s workers’ compensation costs have soared over the past four years, far exceeding premium increases in the rest of the country. It finds that the two most important contributors to the cost run-ups are rising medical costs and increasing numbers of major permanent partial disability cases. Recent legislative reforms may help resolve the situation, but more research and evaluation is needed.
California Counts, Report California’s Newest Neighborhoods By Joseph Hayes, Hans Johnson Aug 20, 2003 Examines the characteristics of California's newest residential developments -- those created in the 1990s. Documents number of developments, locations and growth patterns, type of housing, household demographics, traffic and commutes, and regional variations.
Report The Evolution of California Manufacturing By Paul W. Rhode Oct 1, 2001 A remote outpost in 1840, California is now the leading industrial state with a Gross Domestic Product that would place it among the world’s largest national economies. In The Evolution of California Manufacturing, Paul Rhode uses a unique and comprehensive time series data set to map the state’s industrial development from the Gold Rush to 1997. After identifying six long-run processes that help account for the state’s emergence as an industrial leader, the study tracks recent trends in California manufacturing. It notes that many recent developments—including energy shortages, military cutbacks, and employment volatility—have occurred periodically throughout California’s history, and that the 1990s was not a period of especially rapid structural change.
California Counts, Report How Immigrants Affect California Employment and Wages By Giovanni Peri Feb 27, 2007 This issue of California Counts examines the effects of the arrival of immigrants between 1960 and 2004 on the employment, population, and wages of U.S. natives in California. Among the study’s principal findings: 1) There is no evidence that the influx of immigrants over the past four decades has worsened the employment opportunities of natives with similar education and experience, 2) There is no association between the influx of immigrants and the out-migration of natives within the same education and age group, 3) Immigration induced a 4 percent real wage increase for the average native worker between 1990 and 2004, 4) Recent immigrants did lower the wages of previous immigrants.
California Economic Policy, Report A Decade of Living Wages: What Have We Learned? By David Neumark, Scott Adams Jul 1, 2005 Living wages seek to raise the income of low-wage workers by mandating higher wages. However, such wage increases may also have adverse employment effects, leading employers to reduce employment of less-skilled labor. This study notes that although living wages deliver some benefits to low-income families, additional policies are needed to help the most disadvantaged.
Report Stackable Credentials in Career Education at California Community Colleges By Sarah Bohn, Shannon McConville Oct 22, 2018 California is investing in career education programs at its community colleges. Stackable credentials are a key component—students who “stack” multiple, related awards can build skills and increase earnings over time. We need to know more about how well-designed stackable credential programs help students succeed.
Report How Living Wage Laws Affect Low-Wage Workers and Low-Income Families By David Neumark Mar 1, 2002 Since 1994, nearly 40 cities in the United States have passed living wage ordinances. These ordinances mandate that businesses under contract with the city, and in some cases businesses receiving assistance from the city, pay employees a wage sufficient to lift their families out of poverty. This report examines the actual experiences of cities implementing such laws, focusing in particular on the following questions: Do living wage laws raise wages for at least some low-wage workers? Are wage gains for low-wage workers offset by either reductions in employment or the amount of hours worked as employers seek to accommodate the additional labor costs? Do living wage laws achieve their stated policy objective of improving economic outcomes for low-income families? Do the laws reduce urban poverty? Given the stated antipoverty goal of living wage campaigns, why do the laws generally restrict coverage to city contractors, rather than imposing wage floors for broad groups of workers?
Report California’s Future By Ellen Hanak, Laura Hill, Hans Johnson, Caroline Danielson ... Jan 15, 2021 This multi-topic publication highlights the state’s most pressing long-term policy challenges in several key areas: criminal justice, economy, education, safety net, and water and a changing climate.
