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Owing largely to rising prices and stagnant wage growth during Q1 2024, American workers saw the biggest drop in median earnings in three years.

Even though the job market expanded in February, a smaller percentage of those positions are paying a living wage — resulting in the highest “functional unemployment” rate in two-and-a-half years, according to the monthly TRU report by LISEP.

The living-wage job market rebounded in January, with White and Black workers posting gains and the gender gap closing, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

American workers saw an increase in median earnings for Q4 2023, which was somewhat tempered by an increase in the percentage of workers unable to secure full-time, living-wage jobs, according to a report by LISEP.

On average workers appear to be benefitting from a robust job market, with the percentage of workers unable to find a living-wage job at the lowest level in six months, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

Even when accounting for unreported income, more than one in five American workers are still unable to find employment or generate income lifting them above the poverty line, according to a new study by LISEP.

The high cost of living is more than offset by high wages in the San Jose and San Francisco markets, making the Bay Area the best performing region for middle- and working-class households in the country’s 50 largest MSAs.

While the overall availability of living-wage jobs remained virtually unchanged, women in the workforce gained ground against their male counterparts in October, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

With the costs of everyday necessities on the rise last year, middle- and working-class families felt the biggest crunch on their bank accounts since 2004, according to a LISEP analysis.

By all outward measures the jobs market remains robust, but that is not translating into higher wages for most American workers, according to a report by LISEP.

In spite of a higher labor participation rate in August, many of these new workforce participants are finding themselves without full-time jobs paying a living wage, according to the August True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

It’s not just a blue collar or low-wage job phenomenon: the majority of occupations in the U.S. saw a decline in buying power over the last 20 years when adjusted for the rising cost of basic necessities, according to a study released by LISEP.

Even though inflation has moderated significantly in recent months, it appears to have been at the expense of low-wage workers, with the “functional unemployment” rate jumping by 1.2 percentage points for July, according to the True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

While overall inflation-adjusted wages for the median American worker remained flat, low-wage workers saw a notable increase in the second quarter of 2023, with the rate of “functional unemployment” in the U.S. at an all-time low, according to a report by LISEP.

The percentage of Americans with living-wage jobs improved significantly from April to May, with “functional unemployment” dropping to its lowest level in months for all major demographic groups, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

The percentage of Black workers in the labor market with living-wage jobs is at an all-time high, according to LISEP. But the improvement in April may be less about getting better jobs, and more about workers dropping out of the job market.

Driven by a booming tech sector and ample affordable housing, the Space Coast of Florida leads the nation in the percentage of workers with living-wage jobs, while two west Texas regions lead the nation in “functional unemployment,” with one community approaching 50%, according to an analysis released by LISEP.

Inflation-adjusted wages for the median American worker decreased by $10 a week since the third quarter of 2022, marking the third straight quarter of declines, according to a report by LISEP. Low wage workers, along with Black and Latino populations, fared even worse.

The overall percentage of workers with living-wage jobs improved for the month of February, but the gap between men and women grew by two full percentage points, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report issued by LISEP.

Even though the government-reported rate of unemployment is at near record lows, many of those new positions are insufficient to lift workers out of poverty, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report issued by LISEP.

From a holiday celebration to a family road trip or even a meal at the local diner, most middle- and lower-income families may find it necessary to take on debt just to enjoy even the most basic quality of life activities, according to new research by LISEP.

Inflation-adjusted wages for Latino wage earners declined 2.4% for the fourth quarter of 2022, with the percentage of Latino workers seeking, but unable to find, living-wage jobs rising from 25.5% to 26.4%, according to a report by Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP).

Just in time for the holiday season, American workers saw an increase in the number of living-wage jobs available for November, with functional unemployment dropping for all major demographics, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

The rising cost of living continues to take a toll on working families, with a growing percentage of American workers unable to find a living-wage job or their current job fails to boost them over the poverty line after adjusting for inflation, according to the monthly True Rate of Unemployment report by LISEP.

Even before the inflationary trend that has grabbed headlines during 2022, the cost of just the basic necessities — the items that represent most, if not all, of the average family budget — increased by 5.8% from 2020 to 2021, a rate that is nearly 25% higher than the CPI increase over the same period, according to a new analysis by LISEP.

Even after adjusting for inflation, low- and middle-income workers posted notable wage gains for the third quarter of 2022, while the percentage of Black and Hispanic workers in full-time, living-wage jobs is at its highest level since 1995, according to an analysis by LISEP.

The American workforce expanded from July to August, but many of those workers found they were unable to secure a full-time job that paid a living wage, according to an analysis by LISEP.

Even though government-reported statistics show inflation easing and jobs being added, the percentage of the American workforce unable to find and maintain living-wage jobs inched upward slightly for July, according to an analysis by LISEP.

Inflation-adjusted earnings remained steady for the second quarter of 2022 while the percentage of the American workforce finding full-time, living-wage jobs is at the highest level in 25 years, according to an analysis by LISEP.

Even though official government statistics indicate the U.S. economy continues to add jobs and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the lowest jobless rate in more than two years, LISEP reports the “functional unemployment” rate remains high due to the inability of low- and middle-income workers to earn a living wage in the face of rising inflation.

Driven by high-tech and aerospace sectors, the “Space Coast” of Florida saw the biggest living-wage job growth in 2021 while supply chain issues caused the manufacturing-heavy Piedmont Triad in North Carolina to lose ground, according to an analysis by LISEP.

While a drop in the percentage of Americans in the workforce classified as “functionally unemployed” appears to be a good indication of a recovering economy, issues with the workforce participation rate may indicate that low-wage earners are joining the ranks of discouraged workers, according to an analysis by LISEP.

Inflation-adjusted earnings for the first quarter of 2022 show that American workers are losing ground, forcing a larger percentage of the workforce out of living-wage job status for the month of March and into the ranks of the “functionally unemployed,” according to an analysis by LISEP.

After nearly a year of improvement in the ability of Americans to find full-time, living-wage jobs, the percentage of workers classified as “functionally unemployed” inched upwards in February, according to LISEP.‍

The concern about today’s inflation misses the point, according to a new analysis by LISEP, which indicates that over the last 20 years, rising consumer prices have hit middle- and lower-income households much harder than the Consumer Price Index suggests.

Former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency and current LISEP Chair Gene Ludwig and NACA CEO Bruce Marks today announced a groundbreaking lending program for minority-owned businesses.

More American workers are in living-wage jobs than any time since 2019, with even those previously labeled as “discouraged workers” returning to the labor force, according to an analysis by LISEP. But meanwhile, a huge gap remains between the ability of men and women to secure and retain employment paying above the poverty line.

The percentage of Americans defined as “functionally unemployed” took the biggest drop year-over-year in more than 25 years, according to the December 2021 True Rate of Unemployment, released today by the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity. And while worker earnings also posted significant gains over the past year, growth stagnated in the latter part of 2021 due to inflationary pressures, LISEP found.