Friday, December 10, 2010
9:00-10:30 a.m. ET
| Forum series:
THE NEW UNEMPLOYMENT AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Jobs—getting, keeping, creating, and improving them—remain the primary concern of Americans. Despite modest net job growth in 2010, the U.S. economy today employs 6 million fewer workers than two years ago and unemployment rates have remained over 9 percent for the last 18 months. The number of workers who have been unemployed for at least 6 months has more than doubled to about 4.4 million. While real GDP is back to 2007 levels, employment in late 2010 is still about 6 percent below 2007 and 2008 levels. Today's jobs picture is not only about the Great Recession, but about government policies. Relative to the United States, several major European countries experienced similar drop-offs in GDP but much smaller declines in employment. Three solution-focused policy forums will examine strategies for job creation, labor market roadblocks for young workers and retirement barriers for older workers, and revamping the safety net so that it works during high, persistent unemployment. EVENT 1: “JUMPSTARTING THE JOB MARKET”
Friday, December 10, 2010
9:00-10:30 a.m. Watch this event on C-SPAN. |
Panelists:
- Timothy Bartik, senior economist, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
- Robert Graboyes, senior healthcare advisor, National Federation of Independent Business
- Cliff Johnson, executive director, Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, National League of Cities
- Robert Lerman, institute fellow, Urban Institute; professor of economics, American University
- Margaret Simms, institute fellow, Urban Institute (moderator)
Is the United States destined for several years of extremely high unemployment and limited job opportunities? Or can public policies help generate faster job growth and shrink the ranks of the unemployed? This forum looks at why job creation has been tepid and what approaches to expanding jobs might be cost-effective. The forum considers such approaches as
• tax credits and other subsidies to employers to expand their demand for workers;
• direct publicly funded job-creation schemes, especially programs helping at-risk workers;
• expanded job-based training and initiatives for specific sectors, such as housing; and
• breaking down barriers and improving incentives for small and medium companies to expand hiring.
Resources:
- Bios (pdf)
- Lerman: Homeownership Voucher Proposal (pdf)
At the Urban Institute
2100 M Street N.W., 5th Floor, Washington, D.C.
EVENT 2: “YOUNG AND OLDER WORKERS: (NOT) ENTERING AND EXITING THE LABOR MARKET”
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
9:00-10:30 a.m. ET
Panelists and registration information to be announced.
EVENT 2: “HOW SHOULD THE SAFETY NET BE RETOOLED TO WORK IN TIMES OF HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT?”
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
9:00-10:30 a.m. ET
Panelists and registration information to be announced.
Latest Research
