11 facts on the economic recovery. Despite turmoil from the Delta COVID-19 variant, the economy is recovering. Mitchell Barnes, Lauren Bauer, and Wendy Edelberg highlight some important points about unemployment insurance, retail inventories, wage increases, and beyond.
Women's employment and labor force participation. The disproportionate loss of jobs and increased caregiving burden among women sparked fears that decades of progress would be erased. These fears have not come to fruition exactly, but COVID-19 has profoundly shaped expectations and behavior in the labor market, Betsey Stevenson argues.
Supporting families supports the economy. Out of the 33 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development member nations, the United States ranked 30th in public spending on families and children in 2017. In the aftermath of the pandemic, it is time to change the narrative around social infrastructure investments for families, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Peg Burchinal say.
Assessing the recovery among Black Americans. Black Americans from economically disadvantaged communities have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic's public health and economic consequences. Bradley Hardy and Trevon Logan shed light on mortality rates, unemployment trends, learning loss, and threats to a robust recovery.
Why the new child tax credit (CTC) should continue. The updated CTC gives families more budget flexibility to meet their essential needs and also allows them to make important investments in their children's future. Jason Jabbari, Leah Hamilton, Stephen Roll, and Michal Grinstein-Weiss provide a helpful overview on how CTC funds are used and their role in strengthening the U.S. economy.