WHAT MAKES WORK MORE THAN JUST A LIVING? Determinants of Employment Quality in Illinois

Our researchers at the University of Illinois Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) have developed a comprehensive approach to identify the factors that determine Employment Quality in Illinois (EQ-IL 2.0). It develops ten dimensions, each with sub-components, including both subjective and objective measures. Following up on EQ-Il 1.0, we use a large survey collected in 2023 of 5,600 … Read more

ADVANCING WORKER’S STATE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS | Illinois as a Model

In 2022 Illinois became the fifth state to pass a Constitutional Amendment protecting the rights of workers. Unlike other states, however, Illinois voters passed a ballot measure to create what is arguably the strongest constitutional provisions protecting collective bargaining in the country. PMCR presents two thought pieces on the Amendment.  The first paper, by Professor … Read more

ILLINOIS LABOR ACTION REPORT | 2021-2023

Welcome to our first fact sheet documenting strikes by union and nonunion workers across Illinois. These data are derived from the Labor Action Tracker, a project started in 2021 that comprehensively documents strike activity in the United States. As of January 2024, the Labor Action Tracker is a joint project between Cornell University’s School of … Read more

EFFECTS OF THE EXPANDED CHILD TAX CREDIT ON EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES | Evidence from the Midwest and Implications for Illinois

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) underwent a significant transformation under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP-CTC) from July to December 2021, becoming a near-universal child allowance. The expanded CTC represented a significant milestone in US social policy, included increasing the maximum annual benefit size, making the benefit fully refundable, and converting the annual payment to … Read more

UNION REPRESENTATION DURING A PANDEMIC | The Case of K-12 School COVID Protocols, Public Health and Individual Autonomy

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the Illinois educational workforce, creating a complex interplay between public health measures, individual autonomy, and union dynamics. This report, based on a survey of Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) members, highlights these multifaceted responses to vaccine mandates and the intricate position of teachers’ unions during these … Read more

City of Chicago Tipped Worker Report

This report consists of two chapters addressing potential reforms for tipped minimum wage in the City of Chicago. The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection sought the assistance of the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago in conducting a study required by the Chicago City Council that examines the economic impact … Read more

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