Michael Shields and Vivian Jacobs Resumen Ejecutivo en Español Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority INTRODUCTION More than a year into the health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19, it is now possible to describe how the pandemic has reshaped the lives of Ohioans to date, anticipate its long-term consequences, and
En Español The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped Ohio’s economy, forcing hundreds of thousands of Ohioans out of the workforce and exacerbating racial, gender and income inequality, according to Policy Matters Ohio’s annual report on Ohio’s workforce. “The State of Working Ohio 2021: Meeting the moment” demonstrates the importance of government
This week marks the centennial of the Battle of Blair Mountain, where some 10,000 Appalachian mine workers joined together across race in the largest labor uprising in U.S. history. For a week in 1921, mine workers in West Virginia’s Mingo County fought a pitched battle against mine owners, hired mercenaries,
The numbers: Seasonally adjusted data released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) show Ohio employers added 19,200 jobs over the month, from an upwardly revised 5,321,700 in June to 5,340,900 in July. While preliminary numbers are subject to revision, last month’s numbers show a second
Three out of every 10 working Ohioans perform essential jobs that keep our communities safe and functioning. Still, according to a new report from Policy Matters Ohio and Essential Ohio, essential workers’ median pay is 12.9% less than that of workers in nonessential jobs. Meanwhile, essential workers’ risk of contracting
The numbers: Seasonally adjusted data released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) show Ohio employers added 31,300 jobs over the month, from an upwardly revised 5,289,500 in May to 5,320,800 in June. While preliminary numbers are subject to revision, if June’s numbers hold, they could
Government works best when it works for all people, not just the wealthy few and corporations. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) approaches economic recovery from the ground up by helping people pay the rent, feed their families, fix the car and resume their lives after an unprecedented pandemic and recession.
Local governments can drive equitable recovery The American Rescue Plan (ARP) signed by President Biden in March allocates $33 billion to states and cities across the country to rebuild after the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and recession. A new report from Policy Matters Ohio provides Ohio’s local governments with
The numbers: Seasonally adjusted data released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) show Ohio employers cut 14,800 jobs in May, taking Ohio to 5,289,200 jobs and making May the third month of job reductions since the economy began to recover. A downward revision showed that
Policy Matters Ohio will be closed tomorrow in celebration of Juneteenth, Emancipation Day. Tomorrow is also JobWatch day – when ODJFS and the BLS release the updated jobs numbers. For fellow Job Watchers, we’ll post our regular JobWatch statement next week, and our director will be tweeting (@HannahHalbert) our take
The numbers: April marks one year since COVID-19 wreaked the largest job displacements in Ohio’s history. Many Ohioans are finding work, but there are still fewer jobs in Ohio than there were before COVID. New data released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) show that
Good morning, Chair Stein, Vice-chair Johnson, Ranking Member Lepore-Hagan and members of the committee. My name is Michael Shields and I am a researcher at Policy Matters Ohio, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization working to create a more prosperous, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Ohio. Thank you for the opportunity to
