Labor Markets
New technologies and digital platforms are transforming labor markets through the rise of “gig,” contract, and other forms of independent work. But in Washington there is significant pushback on these jobs, with policymakers and agencies attempting to use 20th-century regulations to hamper a growing workforce. Mercatus research identifies barriers preventing workers from adapting to the evolving economy and provides policy reforms that can build the foundation of tomorrow’s workforce today.
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Louisiana’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
House Bill 301 would modernize Louisiana law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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Expanding Access to Health-Related Benefits for Independent Workers in Connecticut Through Portable Benefits
Governor’s Bill No. 5041 would modernize Connecticut law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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Money, Talent, and the War Test: What WWII’s Female Labor Surge Says About "Feminization" | Labor Market Matters
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UPS Is the Symptom, Not the Disease: How Labor Policy Shapes Long-Run Worker Outcomes | Labor Market Matters
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NC should pay attention to the portable benefits moment | Carolina Journal
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Bringing Portable Benefits to Hawaii’s Independent Workforce
Modernizing benefit laws could empower over 120,000 workers in Hawaii
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The Rise of Portable Benefits | Labor Market Matters
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Expanding Access to Health-Related Benefits for Independent Workers in Connecticut Through Portable Benefits
Governor’s Bill No. 5041 would modernize Connecticut law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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Money, Talent, and the War Test: What WWII’s Female Labor Surge Says About "Feminization" | Labor Market Matters
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Idaho’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
House Bill 645 would modernize Idaho law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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The Rise of Portable Benefits | Labor Market Matters
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Expanding Access to Health-Related Benefits for Independent Workers in Connecticut Through Portable Benefits
Governor’s Bill No. 5041 would modernize Connecticut law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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Money, Talent, and the War Test: What WWII’s Female Labor Surge Says About "Feminization" | Labor Market Matters
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Idaho’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
House Bill 645 would modernize Idaho law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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Episode 947: Will AI Take My Job | Newt’s World
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UPS Is the Symptom, Not the Disease: How Labor Policy Shapes Long-Run Worker Outcomes | Labor Market Matters
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NC should pay attention to the portable benefits moment | Carolina Journal
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Bringing Portable Benefits to Hawaii’s Independent Workforce
Modernizing benefit laws could empower over 120,000 workers in Hawaii
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Bringing Portable Benefits to Rhode Island’s Independent Workforce
Modernizing benefit laws could empower nearly 100,000 workers in Rhode Island
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Kansas’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
Why portable benefits matter for the state's growing independent workforce
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Bringing Portable Benefits to Oklahoma’s Independent Workforce
Modernizing benefit laws could empower more than 325,000 workers in Oklahoma
Latest work in Labor Markets
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Louisiana’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
House Bill 301 would modernize Louisiana law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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Episode 947: Will AI Take My Job | Newt’s World
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AI, Transaction Costs, and a Quiet Shift Toward Self-Employment | Labor Market Matters
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Building an AI-Ready America: Adopting AI at Work
AI is changing how Americans work—but federal data still lag behind
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Your 2025 U.S. Labor Market Wrapped: The “No‑Hire, No‑Fire” Economy | Labor Market Matters
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Bringing Portable Benefits to Nebraska’s Independent Workforce
Modernizing benefit laws could empower nearly 155,000 workers in Nebraska
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Do More Powerful Unions Generate Better Pro-Worker Outcomes?
When unions behave like monopolies, collective gains can come at the expense of long-term prospects
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How State Occupational Licenses Affect Jobs and Salaries
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A Proactive Response to AI-Driven Job Displacement
How reforming the tax code can build a resilient workforce
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A Timely Redux for Personal Unemployment Insurance Savings Accounts
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Boosting Employment for People with Disabilities: Reforms Beyond the ADA
We need to rethink our safety net programs and how we provide vocational rehabilitation
Latest work in Labor Markets
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Bringing Portable Benefits to Rhode Island’s Independent Workforce
Modernizing benefit laws could empower nearly 100,000 workers in Rhode Island
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Bringing Portable Benefits to West Virginia’s Independent Workforce: Overview
Modernizing benefit laws could empower over 90,000 West Virginia workers
Latest work in Labor Markets
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Episode 947: Will AI Take My Job | Newt’s World
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Economist and Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institute Jon Hartley discusses the news of the week | The Martha Zoller Show
Latest work in Labor Markets
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Louisiana’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
House Bill 301 would modernize Louisiana law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
- | Labor Markets Labor Markets
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Kentucky’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
House Bill 732 would modernize Kentucky law to allow portable benefits for independent workers
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- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
New Hampshire’s Portable Benefits Bill: Legalizing Access to Benefits for Self-Employed Workers
Portable benefits would expand access to healthcare, retirement savings, and paid leave for the state's independent workforce
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App-Based Workers Want to Keep Their Gigs—and Gain Flexible Benefits
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions | App-Based Drivers/Transportation Network Carriers
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The Unintended Consequences of the FRA's Minimum Train Crew Size Rule
Latest work in Labor Markets
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The Rise of Portable Benefits | Labor Market Matters
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Money, Talent, and the War Test: What WWII’s Female Labor Surge Says About "Feminization" | Labor Market Matters
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UPS Is the Symptom, Not the Disease: How Labor Policy Shapes Long-Run Worker Outcomes | Labor Market Matters
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NC should pay attention to the portable benefits moment | Carolina Journal
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AI, Transaction Costs, and a Quiet Shift Toward Self-Employment | Labor Market Matters
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Your 2025 U.S. Labor Market Wrapped: The “No‑Hire, No‑Fire” Economy | Labor Market Matters
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We should empower Idaho’s self-employed workforce with portable benefits | Idaho Capital Sun
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Portable Benefits Could Expand Opportunity and Mobility in West Virginia | The Register-Herald (WV)
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From Job Lock to Job Choice: Congress Rethinks Worker Power | The Hill
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