Lauren Bauer

Two measures suggest different gaps between the current strength in the labor market and what a more sustainable level would be. This analysis finds that the rate of job openings has been more in line with its historical relationship to the hires rate than its relationship to the unemployment rate. 

In this economic analysis, we determine the degree to which firms that are looking to hire a significant number of workers can expand employment (a “hot” labor market) or cannot (a “tight” labor market). This analysis suggests that a high job opening-to-unemployment rate ratio overstates how hard it is for firms to hire and that the job openings-to-hires and job opening-to-net hires ratios are worthwhile additions to the list of indicators that assess the state of the labor market. 

Nine economic facts about the service sector illustrate recent trends in spending, employment, and inflation as the country continues to rebalance. 

Pandemic EBT has the potential to be a powerful tool to fight food hardship among children when schools close for summer. But to realize its potential, states need to participate in the program and deliver benefits in a timely manner.

An analysis of the size and composition of the labor force identifies both populations and policies that could contribute to gains in labor force participation.

Using new data from the American Community Survey, Lauren Bauer, Veronica Clevenstine, and Moriah Macklin look into why some same-gender relationship households have higher median incomes than opposite-gender relationship households.

In this analysis Lauren Bauer and Wendy Edelberg identify when and which people are returning to labor market and explore how changing participation rates by different groups is contributing to the labor market recovery.

Lauren Bauer, Veronica Clevenstine, Wendy Edelberg, Elisabeth Raczek, and Winnie Yee explore how the decision whether to enroll in school or work during the pandemic have played out through the 2020-21 academic school year and the summer of 2021.

In these Economic Facts, the Hamilton Project reviews recent economic data to provide context for assessing the state of the economic recovery and highlight areas that remain short of a return to normal.

Lauren Bauer, Krista Ruffini, and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach offer a preliminary analysis of the effect of the Pandemic EBT program on food hardship to date.

In a new analysis from The Hamilton Project, Lauren Bauer explores how the 2021 revision of the Thrifty Food plan will support families currently facing food insecurity and economic hardship.

From May-December 2020, working moms with kid(s) 12 and under spent more weekday hours on child care than working.