The growth of drivers working for app-based platforms who are treated as “independent contractors” is characterized by the companies having no federal responsibility to pay minimum wage, protect workers against sexual harassment, or offer workers paid leave or health care benefits. Excluded from the National Labor Relations Act, independent contractors like gig workers also lack […]
Prevailing wage laws establish minimum wages for skilled construction workers employed on taxpayer-funded projects. The main purpose of prevailing wage laws is to protect local construction standards in the competitive low-bid process. The laws create a level playing field for all construction contractors by ensuring that public expenditures maintain and reflect local market standards for […]
Researchers at the University of Illinois Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR), in partnership with Illinois Future of Work Taskforce, have developed an indicator of the quality of jobs throughout the state – Employment Quality of Illinois (EQ-IL). The effort was spurred by a partnership with Illinois’ Future of Work Taskforce. This indicator is based […]
Registered nursing faces a crisis. For over two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has stressed nurses, tested their skills and stamina, and exacerbated labor shortages. Each of these factors have significant implications for standards of patient care within America’s health care industry.Results from a fall 2021 survey of more than 2,200 registered nurses in hospitals across […]
The United States is currently facing a tight labor market, and the construction industry has not been immune to its effects. Contractors have turned down work and suffered project delays due to workforce supply issues, which may stem from workers’ desire for high-quality jobs. At the same time, demand for construction workers is expected to […]
Uber and Lyft drivers are currently treated as self-employed “independent contractors.” This work arrangement prevents them from accessing basic labor protections, such as minimum wage, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance. The lack of labor standards has led to calls in the State of Illinois to categorize the drivers as traditional employees, either through a new […]
Fair workweek laws, also called predictive scheduling laws, have been implemented in Oregon and seven municipalities—including the City of Chicago—to protect workers from unstable scheduling practices. Implemented in June 2020, Chicago’s Fair Workweek Ordinance covers workers at large employers in seven essential and face-to-face industries: building services, health care, hotels, manufacturing, restaurants, retail trade, and […]