12/7/07,
New Unemployment Numbers Show Increase Among Teens
This bleak employment outlook for vulnerable members of the workforce comes on the heels of a federal minimum wage hike. Decades of economic research show that mandated wage hikes eliminate entry-level jobs, putting particular pressure on young minorities and the least educated.
7/24/07,
Majority of Labor Economists Believe Minimum Wage Hikes Cause Unemployment
An overwhelming majority of American labor economists agree that minimum wage hikes are an inefficient way to address the needs of poor families, according to a new national survey of the American Economic Association (AEA). The survey was conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center and sponsored by the Employment Policies Institute.
5/29/07,
Minimum Wage Hike is an Empty Promise for Low-Income Families
On May 25, President Bush quietly signed a bill raising the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25, but the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) warns that minimum wage hikes are a failed anti-poverty tool and have historically put low-skilled Americans out of work.
12/1/06,
Minimum Wage Hike Threatens Healthy U.S. Economy
Despite the flourishing U.S. economy and record low unemployment level, low-skilled jobs—such as the retail and leisure and hospitality industries—are in decline. These jobs will be further threatened by the prospect of a federal minimum wage hike, warns the Employment Policies Institute (EPI).
10/31/06,
ACORN in Hot Water Again for Voter Fraud
Washington, DC–ACORN is once again under scrutiny by elections officials, the public, and the press for apparent voter registration fraud in Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. These accusations are only the most recent in the group’s notorious history that includes ties to voter fraud in 12 states, as outlined in a report by the Employment Policies Institute [EPI].
10/12/06,
650 Economists May Support a Minimum Wage Hike, but Over 13,000 Believe it Will Destroy Jobs
The Economic Policy Institute has managed to find 650 economists who support raising the minimum wage, but the Employment Policies Institute points to a survey conducted by the University of New Hampshire revealing that 77% (13,860) of labor economists with the American Economics Association believe minimum wage hikes have a negative effect on employment.
9/26/06,
New Study Shows Minimum Wage Hike Is a Job Killer for Arizona
A new study commissioned by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) on the impact of Arizona’s proposed minimum wage increase shows that not only would a hike put over 4,600 Arizonans out of work, but nearly 70% of the benefits would go to families that aren’t poor.
7/6/06,
New Report Reveals the Truth About ACORN
A new report released today by the Employment Policies Institute reveals the truth behind the community group ACORN, including new information about the group’s hypocrisy over paying their employees the minimum wage, ties to voter fraud, federal grant violations, and union-busting.
6/13/06,
Federal Minimum Wage Hike Approved by Wrong House Committee Targets Wrong People
The House Appropriations Committee approved legislation today that would raise the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. According to the Employment Policies Institute [EPI], the average family income of those who would benefit from the increase is $45,580 a year. A full House vote on the issue is expected as early as next week.
6/5/06,
NY’s Fair Share Bill: Up to 100,000 Jobs Lost, $9.2 Billion Hit to Business
As the New York Senate holds a committee hearing today to explore ways of increasing healthcare coverage in the state, the Employment Policies Institute [EPI] recommends policies that will reduce healthcare costs for the individual rather than expensive and ineffective employer mandates that will put low-skilled employees out of work.
5/4/06,
U.S. House Panel Holds Hearing on Impact of Employer Healthcare Mandates
A panel under the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing today on the impact of employer-provided healthcare mandates. Craig Garthwaite, research fellow in economics for the Employment Policies Institute [EPI], testified on the resultant job loss, immense cost, and overall ineffectiveness of these mandates in covering the uninsured.
4/21/06,
Albuquerque Minimum Wage Hike Will Cost Jobs
The Albuquerque City Council’s decision to raise the minimum wage will put low-skilled employees out of work. Citing the 540 lost jobs and 16% increase in unemployment that followed Santa Fe’s minimum wage increase in 2004, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) warns Albuquerque leaders that their city will suffer similar consequences.
4/12/06,
Solving the healthcare problem: Massachusetts vs. New York
While the country works to solve the healthcare problem, both Massachusetts and New York have proposed very different solutions to reduce the number of uninsured in their states. While Massachusetts’ proposal is designed to seriously tackle the problem of the uninsured, New York’s is not only largely ineffective, but will cost up to 100,000 jobs.
3/29/06,
California Minimum Wage Hike Will Result in Job Loss for Low-skilled
The California State Legislature will hold hearings today over three bills to increase the minimum wage and the Employment Policies Institute [EPI] advises lawmakers not to ignore decades of economic research concluding that mandated wage hikes put low-skilled employees out of work.
2/15/06,
Raising New Mexico’s minimum wage will result in devastating job loss for low-skilled employees;
As New Mexico legislators debate a hike in the state’s minimum wage, the Employment Policies Institute advises lawmakers to learn from the devastating consequences of Santa Fe’s living wage ordinance which included job loss, involuntary part-time employment, and perhaps most surprisingly, no significant increase in income for those earning at the lowest 10th, 25th or 50th percentile.
1/26/06,
EPI-Sponsored Research Offers Market-Based Solutions to the Healthcare Crisis
President Bush’s strategy to address the nation’s ailing healthcare system is expected to draw heavily from the counsel of economists R. Glenn Hubbard, John F. Cogan, and Daniel Kessler, who recently encapsulated their recommendations in the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs. This influential work was sponsored by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI).
1/18/06,
Think Raising the Minimum Wage is a Good Idea? Think Again.
Today, the Employment Policies Institute [EPI] is running a full-page ad in the Washington Post asking the public to rethink the notion that minimum wage hikes are a good idea. The timing of the ad coincides with the introduction of federal legislation to hike the minimum wage by over 40 percent.
11/22/05,
“Son of 72” sequel as bad as the first
The Worker Health Care Security Act introduced today is strikingly similar to last year’s Proposition 72 which, according to research by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI), would have resulted in lost jobs for Californians.
6/8/05,
Massachusetts Health Insurance Mandate Could Trigger Harsh Unintended Consequences
Low-skill employees could see dramatic job loss from a health insurance mandate under consideration in the Massachusetts legislature. A new Employment Policies Institute (EPI) study looks at the potential labor market consequences of health insurance mandates with which many state legislatures are experimenting as a solution to reducing the number of the nation’s uninsured.
3/7/05,
Senator Kennedy Ignores Economic Reality of Minimum Wage Increases
Senator Kennedy claims that his minimum wage increase is a family issue because many of the beneficiaries are women with children. He does not mention that only 8 percent of the benefits from his wage increase will be single mothers, and only 4 percent will be single mothers in poverty.
2/14/05,
Who will really benefit from New Jersey's minimum wage hike?
The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) testified today before the New Jersey Assembly Labor Committee on the negative economic consequences of raising the state minimum wage to $7.15 per hour. EPI presented figures from the U.S. Census Bureau that show the vast majority of the benefits of such an increase will not reach its intended target—New Jersey’s working families.
2/10/05,
Who will really benefit from Maryland's Minimum wage hike?
The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) testified today before the Maryland State Senate Finance Committee on the negative economic consequences of raising the state minimum wage to $6.15 per hour. EPI will present figures from the U.S. Census Bureau which show that the vast majority of the benefits of such an increase will not reach its intended target--Maryland’s low-income working families.
10/19/04,
Proposition 72 Myths
“Yes on 72” Campaign Distorting Costs of Job-Killing Health Care Mandate
9/27/04,
New Study Says Passage of Proposition 72 Would Destroy Up to 150,000 Jobs
A new study by The Employment Policies Institute (EPI) reveals that Proposition 72, which would require all employers in the state of California with 20 or more employees to provide full medical insurance for their employees, will cost businesses up to $12.9 billion per year and result in as many as 150,000 lost jobs.
6/18/04,
Sen. Kerry vs. Nobel Prize Economists
Washington – While John Kerry calls for a 36% increase in the minimum wage, the majority of economic research, including the statements of five Nobel Prize-winning economists, continue to show that raising the minimum wage is a dangerous political ploy that will only serve to make life harder for the nation’s least skilled employees.
9/2/03,
Who Really Benefits From A Minimum Wage Hike?
Upon returning to session, Congress will be facing a proposed increase in the federal minimum wage to $6.65 an hour. According to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, those who would most benefit from the $1.50 increase are not from poor families.
8/11/03,
ACORN is Dishonest Broker for Florida Workers
The national union organization leading the effort to hike Florida's minimum wage to $6.15 once sued the state of California in order to avoid paying its own employees the state minimum wage.
7/14/03,
San Francisco Residents Oppose Minimum Wage Hike
A new poll taken on behalf of the Employment Policies Institute finds low support for San Francisco Supervisor Matt Gonzales' proposed minimum wage hike among San Francisco residents.
5/1/03,
May Day or Dis-May Day for ACORN?
An EPI report shows that the national labor activist group busted unionization efforts of its own employees, sued to avoid paying workers minimum wage, and abused a government grant to boost its own membership.