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Karla Walter is the senior director of Employment Policy at the Center for American Progress. Walter focuses primarily on improving the economic security of American workers by increasing workers’ wages and benefits, promoting workplace protections, and advancing workers’ rights at work. Prior to joining American Progress, Walter was a research analyst at Good Jobs First, providing support to officials, policy research organizations, and grassroots advocacy groups striving to make state and local economic development subsidies more accountable and effective. She has co-authored several studies that promote economic development policies that meet workers’ needs and advocate for greater corporate accountability. Previously, she worked as a legislative aide for Wisconsin State Rep. Jennifer Shilling. Her work has been referenced in The New York Times and other newspapers. Walter earned a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
President Biden is using his executive authority to build power and improve the lives of contract workers; he can do even more to raise standards for service workers.
Policymakers can ensure that economic recovery spending benefits working Americans from all walks of life by adopting model job quality language.
Policymakers can use prevailing wages to set strong compensation rates across industries and occupations, benefitting workers and taxpayers alike.
This report provides a road map for state and local policymakers working to create or strengthen prevailing wage laws, explains core features of prevailing wage legislation, and lifts up existing best practices from around the county.
Author Karla Walter explains how the Biden administration can fix problems in the federal contracting system.
Federal policymakers must invest in domestic electric vehicle production and deployment now in order to support high-quality American jobs, cut greenhouse gas emissions over the long term, and ensure national competitiveness in a key area of growth.
Key steps must be taken to ensure that pandemic-response infrastructure investments create high-quality jobs for all working Americans.
Four key enforcement strategies will help ensure workers benefit from coronavirus relief measures.
Authors Allison Preiss and Karla Walter explain how cities and states can protect gig-economy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Key features of two quality workforce partnerships offer lessons on how workforce intermediaries and employers can design mutually beneficial relationships that connect working Americans—across racial and gender lines—to good jobs in the 21st century.
