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 employed […]
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 […]
A Child Tax Credit is a credit for each child or dependent that households can claim on tax returns. The federal Child Tax Credit covers children under 17 years old and was temporarily expanded in 2021 under the American Rescue Plan Act. The expanded Child Tax Credit increased the amount of the credit, included 17-year-olds, […]
Public approval of labor unions remains at a six-decade high, with bipartisan support from across the political spectrum. Data shows that union workers earn higher wages, are more likely to have health insurance coverage, and have greater access to paid leave. Though the unionization rate fell nationally for the second consecutive year, the United States […]
The biomedical imaging career path represents opportunities for middle-class incomes but does not have a population-representative diverse work force either locally or nationally. Workers are stratified by gender and race in the field of biomedical imaging. Our research project examines this field with the aim of better understanding both sides of hiring: how potential employees learn […]
In the winter and spring of 2012, the Labor Education Program of the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois conducted surveys of 204 employees at 57 car washes in Chicago. Surveys captured detailed information about wage and hour violations, occupational health and safety violations, and overall working conditions in the […]