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December, No. 245

On November 15–16, 2007, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Economic Research Department and Consumer and Community Affairs Division, along with the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, co-sponsored a conference to present research on policies, practices and initiatives affecting low-wage workers.

Last Updated: 11/14/2007

Strategies for Improving Economic Mobility of Workers—A Conference Preview

Maude Toussaint-Comeau

By almost all measures, American workers overall have gained economic ground over time. However, it has also been well documented that inequality in economic outcomes has increased: Wages for those in the bottom (10th percentile) of the income distribution have not growth as quickly as those in the top (90th percentile). In fact, the wages for those at the bottom may even be stagnating. These trends imply that the economic mobility of some segments of the labor force is relatively limited. How can the economic opportunities for low-wage workers be improved? How effective are existing policies at helping low-wage workers gain more skills or improve them? The author provides a brief review of key issues related to low-wage earners and policy prescriptions.