The Impact of Unions on Construction Worksite Health and Safety | Evidence from OSHA Inspections

Construction consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. This report assesses whether there are differences in safety outcomes between union and nonunion construction worksites by analyzing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations in the industry.Prior research has found that the unionized construction sector delivers higher wages, finances most … Read more

Minority Employment in the Illinois Imaging Sector | The Impact of License Requirements on Diversity

Cover image for Minority Employment in the Illinois Imaging Sector

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 … Read more

Public Health Impacts of Underemployment and Unemployment in the United States: Exploring Perceptions,Gaps and Opportunities

Background: Unemployment, underemployment, and the quality of work are nationaloccupational health risk factors that drive critical national problems; however, to date, there havebeen no systematic efforts to document the public health impact of this situation. Methods: Anenvironmental scan was conducted to explore the root causes and health impacts of underemployment and unemployment and highlight multilevel … Read more

Benefits of Granting Occupational License Access to Undocumented Immigrants | Evidence from California Reform and Implications for Illinois

In September 2014, California lifted legal work status requirement for dozens of licensed professions – a major obstacle for undocumented immigrants in the US to access professional jobs. This report assesses the benefits of lifting occupational license restrictions on the labor market outcomes of undocumented immigrants in California. The findings can be extrapolated to the … Read more

Women and Child Care in Illinois: A Survey of Working Mothers During the COVID-19 Pandemic 

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted economic and educational systems. The economic downturn caused by the pandemic has had substantial and potentially long-term implications for women, with their labor force participation rate falling to its lowest level in three decades. Additionally, following the advice of public health experts, Illinois restricted face-to-face activities and closed in-person schools … Read more

PROMOTING GOOD JOBS AND A STRONGER ECONOMY

The labor movement has historically provided U.S. workers with reliable pathways into good, middle-class jobs. Union membership, however, has gradually declined across America. A primary driver of this decline has been the spread of so-called “right-to-work” laws, which allow workersto receive all the services and benefits of collective bargaining– such as higher wages, better health … Read more

ON-DEMAND WORKERS, SUB-MINIMUM WAGES

The City of Chicago has experienced a significant increase in app-based transportation network provider (TNP) services, also called “ride-sharing” services. Drivers working for Uber, Lyft, and Via—the three TNP companies licensed with the city—are currently classified as self-employed “independent contractors,” an arrangement that prohibits them from accessing basic labor protections, such as minimum wage laws. … Read more