Black-white unemployment gaps widen with the recovery

Recovery path is considerably slower for Black workers   What's happening What surprised EPI Economist Kyle K. Moore when crunching the numbers for our latest report on state unemployment by race and ethnicity? The fact that the historical unemployment gap between Black and white workers returned so quickly, he says. While unemployment rates fell for all groups over the third and fourth quarters of 2020, Hispanic unemployment remained 60% higher than white unemployment over both quarters, while Black unemployment rose from 60% higher to 90% higher between the third and fourth quarters—nearly completing its rise back toward a long-standing trend in which Black workers are twice as likely to be unemployed as white workers. "Achieving equity in the labor market—one component of which would be that workers from different groups were equally likely to find employment—would require addressing the occupational segregation that leaves certain groups more highly exposed to precarious employment than others," he stresses. State unemployment by race and ethnicity Despite the devastating public health effects of the pandemic, the labor market continued to improve for many workers, though at differing rates. Unemployment rates in the fourth quarter of 2020 fell below 10% for all groups except Black workers. Read the economic indicator » Share the economic indicator: State unemployment by race and ethnicity Share Tweet What we're talking about Protect the USPS  We must protect and preserve the Postal Service. We shouldn't be rolling back the U.S. Postal Service, as Postmaster General Louis DeJoy plans to do. EPI's Monique Morrissey argues that postal services should be expanded for the public good, not diminished by special interests. Read her report titled The War Against the Postal Service » Matter of Fact Listening Tour: To Be An American  EPI's Valerie Wilson spoke with Soledad O'Brien about the American Dream: "Ironically, to the extent that the American Dream is alive, I think marginalized communities—those who are most likely to face barriers to achieving their own American Dream—are the ones who keep it alive by constantly holding up a mirror and really challenging this country to live up to what it's promised," she said. Watch the video » EPI calls for united condemnation of anti-Asian racism and violence  EPI calls for unanimity and solidarity among policymakers and leaders to denounce the surge in anti-Asian racism and end the use of abusive language that fosters an atmosphere of prejudice and violence. Read the statement » Follow EPI on Instagram What we're watching and listening to Labor Organizer On Amazon's Union Busting Attempts In Bessemer  Amazon organizer Joshua Brewer comes on to give updates from Bessemer Alabama. Sam Seder and the Majority Report crew discuss this. Watch the show » Oakland's Chinatown finds solutions to hate crimes Seeing a surge in attacks against Asian Americans during the pandemic, community ambassadors are finding ways to help elders in Chinatown feel safe. Listen to the segment » Share this newsletter: Black-white unemployment gaps widen with the recovery Share Tweet Forward Donate to EPI Facebook Twitter epi.org View this email in your browser | Unsubscribe from this list