New Research

Employer practices can strongly influence workers' economic mobility. Learn more about the evidence and promising avenues for research in our new report.

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OUR APPROACH


Grantmaking and Partnerships

Led by a cross-sector Leadership Board that is ideologically diverse and representative of often-siloed groups, WorkRise invests in research on policies, programs, and practices that have the potential to accelerate economic security and mobility for low-wage workers. We fund analyses and the creation of data that shed light on labor market barriers, trends, and opportunities. And we engage in strategic partnerships that help advance evidence-based solutions in support of our mission. Learn more about our most recent request for proposals and how you can collaborate with WorkRise.

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Working Knowledge

The Latest

Demographic disparities July 26, 2022

New and Noteworthy: Research highlighting racial inequalities in unemployment insurance

In this month’s New and Noteworthy column, we explore new evidence on persistent racial equity gaps in the unemployment insurance (UI) system.

Archana Pyati

Worker voice, representation, and power July 25, 2022

Defining Job Vulnerability Using an Equity Lens

A deeper understanding of work through a vulnerability framework can help shape policies and practices to mitigate harms and strengthen supports for workers, regardless of their employment status.

Ofronama Biu

Federal policy June 28, 2022

Roe v. Wade’s Reversal Poses a Disproportionate Threat to Black Women’s Economic Mobility

The June 24 US Supreme Court ruling, which struck down the constitutional right to an abortion, will undermine Black women’s educational attainment, occupational outcomes, and lifetime earnings.

Elisabeth Jacobs, Andrew Boardman, Archana Pyati

Demographic disparities June 22, 2022

Beyond Pay Gaps, Women Face Disparities in Dignity at Work

Exploring the gender gap in dignity at work. In addition to inequities in pay, women experience less respect and recognition on the job according to a new study.

Andrew Boardman

Research

Worker voice, representation, and power July 28, 2022

Worker Power and Economic Mobility: A Landscape Report

This landscape report summarizes empirical evidence on two main pathways for workers to exercise their power in the labor market: the ability to exit their current job for  better outside options and organizations and institutions that build worker voice within firms.  

Ioana Marinescu, Jake Rosenfeld

Job search and matching July 20, 2022

Search and Matching in Modern Labor Markets: A Landscape Report

This landscape report synthesizes research on how job seekers find work and how employers post and fill open positions in the labor market. It also explores frictions experienced by both parties and implications for workers’ economic mobility.

Alexander W. Bartik, Bryan A. Stuart

Worker voice, representation, and power July 11, 2022

U.S. Workers’ Organizing Efforts and Collective Actions: A Review of the Current Landscape

The report summarizes research evidence on the size of the voice and representation gaps workers are attempting to fill, and provides examples of different strategies workers are using to address the gap.
Employer practices June 17, 2022

Employer Practices and Worker Outcomes: A Landscape Report

Commissioned by WorkRise, this report by researchers at the MIT Sloan School of Management summarizes evidence on employer practices that influence economic mobility and promising areas for research to advance the state of policy and practice.

Erin L. Kelly, Hazhir Rahmandad, Nathan Wilmers, Aishwarya Yadama

Federal policy March 29, 2022

Income Inequality, Race, and the EITC

New grantee research finds the 1993 expansion of the earned income tax credit reduced income inequality among Black and white households in the lower half of the income distribution through a significant employment response among Black households.