blog post Inflation Squeezes Californians’ Budgets, despite Wage Growth By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Nov 3, 2022 Wages have risen steadily in California since the beginning of 2020 amid a historically tight labor market. But after adjusting for inflation, average wages are down slightly compared to January 2020.
blog post Reconciling Signs of a Strong Economy with California’s Budgetary Woes By Julien Lafortune, Jenny Duan, Sarah Bohn Jan 24, 2024 Even as the state faces a sizeable budget deficit, job growth and low unemployment suggest a resilient state economy. Still, two areas of concern in the labor market data are worth monitoring.
blog post Better Days for California’s Labor Market, but Will They Last? By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Nov 25, 2020 The California job market has recovered faster than the nation, with sectors hit hardest by the pandemic leading growth, but over a million workers remain un- and underemployed.
Report Do California’s Enterprise Zones Create Jobs? By David Neumark, Jed Kolko Jun 10, 2009 California’s enterprise zone program was established to spur business and job creation in economically distressed areas. Offering tax credits and other incentives to businesses throughout the state, it is California’s largest economic development program. But does it work? This report finds that enterprise zones have no overall effect on job growth. There are some positive findings: for example, the program raises employment more in zones with smaller manufacturing shares, and marketing and outreach efforts seem to be helpful. But the report’s main finding calls into question the wisdom of investing in the program as it stands.
Fact Sheet California’s Businesses By Shannon McConville, Jane Sawerengera, Sarah Bohn Jan 26, 2024 Most California businesses are small, and most Californians are employed by small businesses. About 28% of the state’s businesses are family owned. Business ownership does not mirror California’s demographic makeup.
blog post Looking Ahead to California’s 2021 Labor Market By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Jan 22, 2021 With a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent months, employment in California has taken a hit. Given the continued challenges posed by the pandemic, what can we expect from the state’s labor market this year?
blog post California’s Recovery Backslides By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune Jan 29, 2021 The number of jobs in California declined last month for the first time since April. Overall, jobs statewide are down 8% compared to a year ago, with face-to-face service sectors being the hardest hit.
