2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels ArticleSeptember 4, 2026 2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels New calculations show the economy would need to add about 97,000 jobs per month to keep the employment-to-population ratio from declining. Sep 4, 2026 Cristina Tello-Trillo, Christian E. Weller
Child Labor Violations Are On The Rise. Some States Are Making It Worse. In the NewsAugust 25, 2026 Child Labor Violations Are On The Rise. Some States Are Making It Worse. In an op-ed for The Contrarian, Veronica Goodman discusses how child labor violations have risen 54 percent in the past decade, and how some states are making this crisis worse. Aug 25, 2026 The Contrarian Veronica Goodman
Black America at 250: What’s Next for Economic and Political Mobility? Past EventAugust 17, 2026 Black America at 250: What’s Next for Economic and Political Mobility? As part of an annual series presented in partnership by the Center for American Progress, the National Partnership for Women & Families, and the Aspen Institute, this year’s event focused on the Black community’s progress in the 250 years since the nation’s founding and how much the Black community stands to lose, offering a proactive vision for the future. Harbor View Hotel, Menemsha Room Aug 17, 2026
Teen Employment Remains Weak ArticleAugust 7, 2026 Teen Employment Remains Weak The share of teens employed has slid from a high of 50 percent in 1978 to just 30.7 percent today, with teen boys and teens of color facing the steepest declines. This trend may signal where the broader economy is heading while also revealing a narrowing pipeline of early work experience that has historically given young people a stronger foothold later in their careers. Aug 7, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, Sara Estep, Jiun Park
Career and Technical Education Policy: A Multistate Case Study on Employment Outcomes ReportJuly 13, 2026 Career and Technical Education Policy: A Multistate Case Study on Employment Outcomes There is growing interest in scaling career and technical education, yet barriers to advancement remain. This report offers policy recommendations and case studies from states to expand these opportunities for more students. Jul 13, 2026 Veronica Goodman, Weadé James
The Faster Labor Contracts Act Should Be Just the Starting Point for Labor Law Reform ArticleJuly 7, 2026 The Faster Labor Contracts Act Should Be Just the Starting Point for Labor Law Reform Evidence from Canada shows that the bill could lead to a small increase in private sector union density, but pro-worker policymakers in Congress need to go further to fix the worst flaws in federal labor law. Jul 7, 2026 Aurelia Glass
June Jobs Numbers Are Not the Boost for Workers That Was Expected ArticleJuly 2, 2026 June Jobs Numbers Are Not the Boost for Workers That Was Expected The June 2026 jobs report included strong headline numbers, but working families are still struggling to keep up amid higher inflation. Jul 2, 2026 Kennedy Andara, Aurelia Glass
The NLRB Is Throwing Out Charges Alleging Employers Engaged in Unfair Labor Practices ReportJuly 1, 2026 The NLRB Is Throwing Out Charges Alleging Employers Engaged in Unfair Labor Practices A new CAP analysis shows that, since the beginning of the second Trump administration, the NLRB is increasingly likely to dismiss charges that unions and workers file alleging that employers have committed unfair labor practices. Jul 1, 2026 Aurelia Glass
Bipartisan and Republican-Led Coalitions Advance Fair Contracting Policies on Public Construction Projects ArticleJune 24, 2026 Bipartisan and Republican-Led Coalitions Advance Fair Contracting Policies on Public Construction Projects State and local policymakers across the political spectrum are adopting responsible bidder ordinances, prevailing wage standards, and apprenticeship utilization requirements to raise standards for workers and deliver better results for taxpayers. Jun 24, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, Karla Walter
May’s Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Underlying Labor Market Slack ArticleJune 5, 2026 May’s Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Underlying Labor Market Slack The May 2026 jobs report shows continued job growth and a stable unemployment rate, but there are also signs that labor market weakness—including labor underutilization—is being felt by a growing number of Americans. Jun 5, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, Sara Estep
Unions Build Wealth for All Americans ArticleMay 28, 2026 Unions Build Wealth for All Americans New CAP analysis of the Survey of Income and Program Participation highlights that households with a union member have roughly two times the wealth of households without a union member. May 28, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, David Madland, Christian E. Weller
2026 CAP IDEAS Conference Past EventMay 19, 2026 2026 CAP IDEAS Conference The Center for American Progress’ signature event, now celebrating its 15th year, where CAP convenes the big thinkers and doers on the center-left for a day of not only identifying the problems facing Americans, but also sharing solutions to improve the lives of all Americans. Online via Zoom May 19, 2026
Women Workers Are a Lifeline for the Economy ArticleMay 8, 2026 Women Workers Are a Lifeline for the Economy As Mother’s Day approaches, April jobs data highlight that women have been a bright spot in a volatile labor market, and underneath that trend are working mothers’ labor force participation rates. May 8, 2026 Sara Estep, Kennedy Andara
How Market-Based Sectoral Pay Standards Raise Wages and Improve Affordability ReportMay 5, 2026 How Market-Based Sectoral Pay Standards Raise Wages and Improve Affordability Policymakers can boost wages, improve affordability, and address public challenges by extending prevailing wage and other pay standards to the private sector. May 5, 2026 Karla Walter
The American Franchise Act Would Harm Workers and Small Businesses ArticleApril 29, 2026 The American Franchise Act Would Harm Workers and Small Businesses Federal lawmakers are debating a bill that would let corporate franchisors off the hook when they undermine workers’ rights and leave small franchisees solely liable for labor law violations. Apr 29, 2026 Karla Walter
The Trump Administration’s Policies Have Hurt Growth, Jobs, and Prices ArticleApril 15, 2026 The Trump Administration’s Policies Have Hurt Growth, Jobs, and Prices A new macroeconomic simulation suggests that the Trump administration’s agenda has generated slower growth, fewer jobs, and faster inflation. Apr 15, 2026 Jared Bernstein
Volatile Job Numbers Mask Stagnant Labor Market in the Trump Administration’s Economy: Analysis of the March 2026 Jobs Report ArticleApril 3, 2026 Volatile Job Numbers Mask Stagnant Labor Market in the Trump Administration’s Economy: Analysis of the March 2026 Jobs Report Job growth over the past year has been flat, even as jobs numbers rebounded in March 2026, resulting in persistent struggles for young workers, workers with college degrees, and Black workers. Apr 3, 2026 Christian E. Weller, Kennedy Andara
One Year After ‘Liberation Day,’ American Workers Are Feeling the Negative Effects of the Trump Administration’s Tariffs ArticleMarch 17, 2026 One Year After ‘Liberation Day,’ American Workers Are Feeling the Negative Effects of the Trump Administration’s Tariffs The Trump administration’s tariff agenda has resulted in blue-collar job losses in nearly every state while failing to boost manufacturing or close the trade deficit in goods. Mar 17, 2026 Ryan Mulholland, Kennedy Andara
No More Reacting: An Argument for a Clean Industrial Policy—and Against Competitiveness as an Organizing Economic Principle ReportMarch 12, 2026 No More Reacting: An Argument for a Clean Industrial Policy—and Against Competitiveness as an Organizing Economic Principle Moving beyond the failures of the Trump administration, the United States will need to embrace a strategy for fighting the climate crisis that prioritizes values such as support for working people and establishes a precedent for international collaboration. Mar 12, 2026 Mike Williams, Ryan Mulholland
Immigrants Make the Labor Market Great ArticleMarch 6, 2026 Immigrants Make the Labor Market Great CAP analysis of the February 2026 employment report shows that President Trump’s promises to native-born workers have yet to materialize while reduced immigration is poised to have a negative effect overall on employment and wages in the long run. Mar 6, 2026 Sara Estep, Kennedy Andara
Working-Class People Struggle To Find Opportunities in Trump’s Economy ArticleFebruary 11, 2026 Working-Class People Struggle To Find Opportunities in Trump’s Economy Today’s jobs report shows that despite January job growth coming in above expectations, blue-collar workers are still experiencing an employment slowdown rarely seen outside of recessions while the working class only captured a fraction of the year’s growth. Feb 11, 2026 Sara Estep, Kennedy Andara
NLRB-Overseen Union Elections Fell in 2025 Amid Trump Administration Attacks ArticleFebruary 11, 2026 NLRB-Overseen Union Elections Fell in 2025 Amid Trump Administration Attacks As Trump attacked the National Labor Relations Board in 2025, the number of private sector union elections that the agency oversaw fell by 30 percent. Feb 11, 2026 Aurelia Glass
What do the events of this year’s World Economic Forum signal about the future of the global order? In the NewsJanuary 28, 2026 What do the events of this year’s World Economic Forum signal about the future of the global order? In a symposium published by NOTUS, Ryan Mulholland argues that the world’s economic future is now being shaped without the United States’ involvement, thanks to Trump’s incessant tariff threats. Jan 28, 2026 NOTUS Ryan Mulholland
ONE YEAR IN: The ‘Trump Effect’ Is a Bust for the Working Class In the NewsJanuary 15, 2026 ONE YEAR IN: The ‘Trump Effect’ Is a Bust for the Working Class In an op-ed published by InsideSources, Aurelia Glass argues that Trump’s policy agenda has made it significantly harder for struggling Americans to meet their families' basic needs. Jan 15, 2026 InsideSources Aurelia Glass
Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice IssueNovember 1, 2021 Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice We pursue climate action that meets the crisis’s urgency, creates good-quality jobs, benefits disadvantaged communities, and restores U.S. credibility on the global stage.
Restoring Social Trust in Democracy IssueNovember 1, 2021 Restoring Social Trust in Democracy Democracy is under attack at home and abroad. We must act to ensure it is accessible to all, accountable, and can serve as a force of good.
Building an Economy for All IssueNovember 1, 2021 Building an Economy for All Economic growth must be built on the foundation of a strong and secure middle class so that all Americans benefit from growth.