Create Good Jobs and Protect Workers
By Lorena Roque
Access to good jobs is essential for economic opportunity and racial equity in the U.S., providing fair wages, benefits, and protections for workers. The Biden-Harris Administration has made significant strides, including nearly $167 billion in student loan forgiveness.
Recent Progress
In response to the COVID-19 recession, the American Rescue Plan Act spurred the strongest jobs recovery on record, reducing unemployment from 6.4 percent to 3.6 percent and creating over 12 million jobs. Historic lows in Black and Hispanic unemployment rates were achieved. Key legislation like the bipartisan infrastructure law, Inflation Reduction Act, and CHIPS & Science Act aim to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs with strong wage standards.
Enhancing Labor Standards and Worker Power
The administration expanded protections for undocumented workers, raised the federal contractor minimum wage to $15, and increased overtime eligibility. The National Labor Relations Board and Federal Trade Commission took steps to prevent worker misclassification and banned non-compete agreements, respectively.
What’s Next?
Threats to these advancements include potential rollbacks under the Congressional Review Act and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. To secure lasting protections, Congress must codify workers’ rights through legislation like the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.
