The Labor Shortage and Public Policy

In this Unlimited Learning: Expert Webinar Series, Laura Crispin, Ph.D., associate professor of economics and director of the public policy program, and Maureen Greene ’78, assistant regional commissioner at the United States Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics, will discuss the contributing factors that led to the current labor shortage and the longer-term effects it will have on the country. The conversation will be moderated by Luis Nunez ’21, current graduate student in public policy.

Across the United States, companies of all sizes are struggling to fill positions desperately needed to keep operations running smoothly. In August 2021 alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that a record number, approximately 4,300,000 individuals, had left their place of employment. With current job openings outnumbering the available workforce, what role does public policy play in overcoming these economic challenges?