Quality of the Gig | An Analysis of App-Based Platform Drivers’ Working Conditions in the Greater Chicago Area

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 … Read more

The Economic Impact of Prevailing Wage Law Repeals on Construction Market Outcomes | Evidence from Repeals Between 2015 and 2018

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 … Read more

Registered Nursing in Crisis | National Survey Reveals Insufficient Staffing, Severe Moral Distress, and High Turnover

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 … Read more

THE UNION ADVANTAGE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION LABOR SHORTAGE | Evidence from Surveys of Associated General Contractors of America Member Firms

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 … Read more

Improving Labor Standards for Uber and Lyft Drivers in Chicago | Classifying Drivers as Employees Would Deliver Superior Outcomes

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 … Read more

Implementing a Fair Workweek Law in Illinois | Protecting Frontline Workers from Unpredictable Schedules

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 … Read more