Expanding Employment Opportunities

A fundamental part of a successful economy is a thriving labor market where workers of all skill levels have the opportunity to prosper. On March 11, The Hamilton Project hosted a forum and released three new papers focusing on how the U.S. economy can be strengthened by expanding labor market opportunities.

United States Vice President Joe Biden delivered remarks.

There were two roundtable discussions focused on three new Hamilton Project papers proposing ways to develop labor market opportunities for all workers. The first panel discussed a new proposal by labor economist Morris Kleiner of the University of Minnesota, suggesting four major reforms to occupational licensing policies, with the aim of fostering greater opportunities for job growth, economic prosperity, and lower costs for consumers. Kleiner was joined by Mike Monroe of the North America’s Building Trades Union, Barbara Kelley of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, and Justin Wolfers of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Melissa Kearney, Director of the Hamilton Project, moderated the discussion.

The second panel discussed papers by Adriana Kugler of Georgetown University and Michael Barr of the University of Michigan that seek to strengthen unemployment insurance and increase the rates of minority entrepreneurship, respectively. The authors were joined by Chanelle Hardy of the National Urban League Washington Bureau, Jared Bernstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Glenn Hutchins, Co-Founder of Silver Lake, moderated the discussion.