WorkRise

AAPI Heritage Month serves as a reminder to move beyond a single narrative about Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Research from the Urban Institute shows that, while they are often discussed as one group, the economic experiences of AAPI families vary widely depending on ethnicity, income, and geography. The report highlights these differences in concrete terms. It shows significantly higher poverty rates among some subgroups, including Bangladeshis, Mongolians, and non-Chamorro Micronesians. The authors also find that 37 percent of Bhutanese households live in overcrowded housing conditions, highlighting how economic hardship affects communities in very different ways. These findings are an important reminder that no community’s experiences can be captured by a single narrative. Oversimplified assumptions can obscure real challenges and make it harder to design policies that meet people where they are. By listening more closely to the full range of experiences within AAPI communities, we can help shape economic systems that reflect that complexity and create opportunity that is as diverse as the communities themselves. Link: https://lnkd.in/gy_G2FAC #AAPIHeritageMonth #EconomicMobility #WorkforceDevelopment #EconomicEquity #InclusiveGrowth #DataForEquity cc: Mingli Zhong, PhD, Nahida Uddin, Cary Lou, Rekha Balu

Research by the Urban Institute’s Gina Adams and Linda Giannarelli finds that expanding child care assistance for parents in education and training could substantially improve economic outcomes for families with low incomes. Under a proposed child care subsidy scenario, parents who receive child care assistance during school or training and complete a credential would see 26 percent higher earnings the following year, and the share of their children living below the federal poverty level would fall by 4 percentage points. These findings underscore how child care access can be a critical lever for improving training completion, earnings, and family economic security. When parents can access affordable child care, they are better positioned to pursue education, strengthen long-term earnings, and create greater stability for their families.   Link: https://lnkd.in/erH6m4ue  #ChildCare #WomensEconomicOpportunity #EconomicMobility #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfWork 

This conversation with Lisa Fu, Executive Director of the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, highlights the challenges facing nail salon workers—an industry largely powered by Asian immigrant and refugee women. Their research explores how high-road training partnerships and sectoral bargaining and standards can improve wages, strengthen workplace protections, and create healthier, safer working conditions across the industry. This work is an important reminder that honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities means recognizing not only their cultural contributions, but also the labor that drives local economies and the systems needed to ensure that work is valued and protected. When industries invest in equitable labor standards, they create stronger pathways to economic mobility, business sustainability, and opportunity for workers, families, and communities alike. Link: https://lnkd.in/e2bv7uzr #AAPIHeritageMonth #EconomicMobility #WorkforceDevelopment #WorkplaceEquity #WorkerVoice #FutureOfWork

Employee ownership is creating new pathways to wealth-building and economic mobility for both Black and white workers. Project Equity’s latest report highlights how transitioning businesses to employee ownership (EO) can strengthen financial security through higher wages, profit sharing, and expanded workplace benefits. The study finds that limited awareness of employee ownership—particularly in Black communities—combined with economic precarity, financial obstacles, limited mentorship, and few visible examples of successful employee-owned businesses constrains workers’ ability to pursue EO, suggesting its full potential depends on broader efforts to strengthen financial security, access, and support for Black-owned businesses. As millions of small business owners approach retirement, employee ownership offers a powerful strategy to preserve business legacies, prevent closures, and ensure workers share directly in the value they help create.    Link: https://lnkd.in/etczhCnG #EmployeeOwnership #EconomicMobility #WealthBuilding #WorkforceDevelopment #SmallBusiness #SharedProsperity cc: Tyler Rivera, Maximilian Chaoulideer, Taura Taylor, Ph.D., Robynn Cox, Ph.D.

The future of labor standards enforcement depends on building compliance through partnership, not just penalties.   Minneapolis’ Small Business High-Road Labor Standards Intervention Pilot highlights how proactive support can help small business owners—particularly immigrant, Black, Indigenous, and other business owners of color—navigate labor law compliance challenges before violations occur. The WorkRise-funded project provided immigrant and BIPOC small business owners with bookkeeping support, payroll and scheduling software, and training on local labor regulations. Although these resources aided compliance with new local labor laws, the researchers found that persistent systemic obstacles to accessing public and nonprofit assistance continued to constrain small businesses’ financial and technical capacity.  The report recommends strengthening coordination across government agencies, expanding technical assistance, and implementing a balanced enforcement approach that pairs education and prevention with penalties. Learn more about the full project and findings here: https://lnkd.in/e__8eurF   #LaborStandards #WorkplaceJustice #EconomicEquity #SmallBusinessSupport #WorkforceDevelopment #HighRoadEconomy #Minneapolis 

Following Mother’s Day weekend, we’re spotlighting research that shows supporting working families is a smart investment in our economy. Research finds that paid family leave delivers major returns to women, families, businesses, taxpayers, and society as a whole. Modeling two proposed national paid leave plans, researchers estimate that for every $1,000 invested, the social return could range from $7,000 to $29,000 in net benefits through improved maternal and infant health, stronger workforce participation, and long-term economic gains.  These findings reinforce what many working mothers already know: access to paid leave is foundational to economic mobility. When women are supported through caregiving transitions, women and their families gain greater financial stability, employers benefit from stronger retention, and communities build healthier, more resilient workforces. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5_mD8wK   #MothersDay #PaidFamilyLeave #WomensEconomicOpportunity #EconomicMobility #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfWork cc: Buyi Wang, Meredith Slopen, PhD, Irwin Garfinkle Elizabeth Oltmans Ananat, Sophie Collyer, Robert Paul Hartley, Anastasia Koutavas, and Christopher Wimer

About 140 years after US workers first mobilized nationally in support of the eight‑hour workday, International Workers’ Day invites us to reflect on how far labor movements have come—and how much further there is to go. Today, workers continue organizing to win stronger protections and higher‑quality jobs in the face of rising affordability pressures. In this article, WorkRise’s Elisabeth Jacobs and Urban Institute's Catherine Harvey outline seven state and local labor policies that could make a meaningful difference in the lives of low‑wage workers. #InternationalWorkersDay #MayDay #Affordability #MinimumWage #Scheduling #PaidLeave #PFML #UnemploymentInsurance #FinancialStability #LaborPolicy Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eNHN2dx4

As Apprenticeship Week comes to a close, we’re spotlighting how college-sponsored apprenticeships are creating new opportunities for young workers. From 2020 to 2024, college-sponsored programs grew from 339 to 558, training students in fields like health care and advanced manufacturing, beyond traditional trades. These programs help students complete apprenticeships at higher rates while gaining skills and career experience that complement their education. Apprenticeships and college together open doors to diverse careers, support economic mobility, and build the talent pipeline for the workforce of tomorrow. #ApprenticeshipWeek #YouthWorkforce #CareerPathways #WorkforceDevelopment #CollegeAndCareer #SkillsTraining Read full report here: https://lnkd.in/eGycEDMA

This Apprenticeship Week, we’re highlighting the power of registered apprenticeships beyond traditional trades. Service-sector apprenticeships in health care, protective services, and personal care offer flexible, scalable pathways into high-demand careers. They help workers build skills, increase wages, and complete programs at higher rates than traditional apprenticeships. These programs also expand opportunities for women, veterans, and other underrepresented groups, while helping employers fill critical workforce gaps. Workforce boards, community colleges, and employers can leverage apprenticeships to grow talent pipelines and support economic mobility. Read full reseach summary: https://bit.ly/4q3H9UN #ApprenticeshipWeek #WorkforceDevelopment #SkillsTraining #EconomicMobility

As of 2025, over 500,000 US manufacturing jobs remain unfilled, and women continue to be underrepresented. Registered apprenticeships provide “earn and learn” pathways that build skills, boost retention, and accelerate wages. With ready-to-use frameworks for high-demand roles, apprenticeships help employers fill positions, promote equity, and strengthen performance. #Manufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #Apprenticeships #SkillsTraining https://urbn.is/4qb6w6w