Jennifer Sherer

Unemployment insurance: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis What does current federal law say about unemployment insurance? Established in the wake of the Great Depression through the Social Security Act of 1935, unemployment insurance (UI) is a critical safet...

Before 2008, workers in every state were guaranteed 26 weeks of unemployment insurance if they lost a job. Today, many states have cut back benefits, some to as little as 12 weeks. With the economy teetering, unemployment benefits are more important than ever.

Child labor standards: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis What does current federal law say about child labor? The 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets guidelines for the hours and nonhazardous jobs for which employers can hire minors under 16. The FLSA...

Did you know that kids as young as 10 can be employed on farms, and there are no limits on how many hours they can work?

Federal child labor laws are much weaker in agriculture, the most dangerous industry for children.

But states can step in to keep kids safe: www.epi.org/publication/...

Wage payment: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis What does current federal law say about wage payment? The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)—which establishes wage and hour standards that apply to most workers at private businesses with annual revenue...

Did you know that in 6 states—AL, AR, LA, MS, SD, TN—you aren’t guaranteed any info about your own paycheck?

To increase transparency & prevent wage theft, other states require pay stubs w/ written info on how pay was calculated

Learn more about the laws in your state: www.epi.org/publication/...

Workplace nondiscrimination protections: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis What does current federal law say about workplace nondiscrimination protections? Discrimination in the workplace—either in employment, promotion, job assignments, pay, benefits, discipline, discharge,...

24 states & DC have discrimination laws that are more expansive than federal law.

19 states offer weaker protections. With Trump gutting federal protections, state laws are more important than ever.

How well does your state protect you from discrimination? www.epi.org/publication/...

Workplace health and safety standards: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis What does current federal law say about workplace health and safety?  The federal Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act—passed in 1970 after decades of fierce advocacy by organized labor and its al...

In 2023, 385 workers died from hazardous working conditions every. single. day.

The highest fatality rates? WY, WV, AR, AK, MN, and ND.

As federal workplace protections are dismantled, states need to step in to protect workers on the job.

Learn more: www.epi.org/publication/...

Overtime pay: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis What does current federal law say about overtime pay? The overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provide protections to most hourly workers and many low-salaried workers, guarantee...

Millions of workers earning less than $60k/year were on track to get overtime pay until Trump took it away. But states can step in and make sure workers get the overtime pay they’ve earned. AK, CA, CO, ME, NY, and WA have done so. Has your state? Learn more: www.epi.org/publication/...

Jennifer Sherer Warns of Unprecedented Attacks on Workers' Rights The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Jennifer Sherer of the EPI joined us on today’s show.

"We are facing an all-out war on workers," EPI's @jensherer.bsky.social told America's Work Force Union Podcast. “We’re in a situation right now where no workers can count on the federal government to protect their basic fundamental rights.”

Listen here: awf.labortools.com/listen/jenni...

CDC union says vaccine misinformation put staff at risk after Atlanta shooting Deadly violence not random as staff have endured ‘months of mistreatment, neglect and vilification’, says union

Solidarity with brave CDC employees (past and present) and their AFGE union standing up for themselves, their agency’s mission, and all of us.

I hereby nominate NYT spelling bee developers to take over headline writing

Trump wants to hide the consequences of his bad policies by manipulating BLS data—it won’t work Yesterday, Trump announced that he will nominate E.J. Antoni as the next commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Antoni has repeatedly and unfairly attacked the agency he’d be set to run...

Trump nominated right-wing Project 2025 contributor EJ Antoni as the next Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner.

Trump wants to hide the consequences of his bad policies by manipulating BLS data—but it won’t work, says EPI Chief Economist @joshbivens-econ.bsky.social:

www.epi.org/press/trump-...

Quote this with a book you read way too young that explains why you are the way you are.

(Read in 2nd or 3rd grade when I was 7 or 8; can’t remember which b/c I had the same amazing teacher both years).

One more fave not mentioned yet: Morristown: In the air and sun

That reminds me, I did show it in at least one class… way back in the academic freedom glory days of the 2010s.

Top favorite! One of best depictions of collective bargaining process ever captured on film. Plus best in-film explainer on union security.

2025 worker-led state policy victories show how states can—and must—do more to hold the line against escalating federal attacks on workers’ rights State action to strengthen worker rights and protections has become critically important at a moment when long-standing U.S. labor standards are under acute threat. Escalating threats include Trump ad...

In the face of federal attacks on workers, many states used this year's legislative season to pass bills that protect workers and improve job quality.

Here's how states took action for and against workers:

www.epi.org/blog/2025-wo...

Since No One Else Seems to Care, Let’s Remember Epstein’s Survivors They've already told us everything we need to know...

Ghislaine Maxwell, who helped Jeffrey Epstein procure and sexually abuse young women, was transferred to a cushy minimum-security prison in Texas in the midst of Trump needing her support with the Epstein files.

We all know what's happening but shouldn't lose focus. www.jezebel.com/since-no-one...

Trump’s firing of BLS commissioner is undemocratic and economically dangerous Today, Trump directed his team to fire the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) because he didn’t like the jobs numbers they released. This is a move straight out of an autocratic play...

Today, President Trump directed his team to fire the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) because he didn’t like the jobs numbers they released. This is a move straight out of an autocratic playbook, says EPI President ‪@hshierholz.bsky.social‬
www.epi.org/press/trumps...

Good on her.

This is not the biggest issue but, as an economist, I am amazed at how many people and vehicles ICE is wasting to make a single, simple arrest.

Imagine if we staffed Head Start classrooms like that!

Passionate Black woman (NEA Pres. Becky Pringle) on stage with arms raised while addressing crowd at Good Trouble rally

White woman (AFGE local 220 President) stands next to American flag while speaking to crowd at Good Trouble rally

Black man dressed in suit (Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson) stand at podium on stage addressing crowd at Good Trouble rally

Crowd of people holding signs in Daley Plaza, downtown Chicago

Always good to be with union siblings in Chicago, but especially good on a day like today.

‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels “There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research,” one Ph.D. student says

If I hear one more reporter say these attacks on universities and science are about "antisemitism," I am going to lose it. This is about destroying higher education full stop and it doesn't help to parrot the White House's talking points. www.science.org/content/arti...

For what it's worth, this is precisely the reason the Klan wore hoods when they terrorized communities and disappeared unfavored minorities.

Historically, it wasn't called doxxing it was just recognizing a fascist community member.

for anyone wondering how it's possibly legal to restrict DC 33 picketlines in Philadelphia:

like many (most?) states, PA has mass picketing laws on the books dating back to the 1930s, and those laws are an incredibly underexamined problem for worker power.

Happy anniversary to the Fair Labor Standards Act! 🎉

We hope you last another 87 years—and that you get some long-overdue improvements!

The FLSA brought us important labor standards like the federal minimum wage and child labor protections.

Check out our work on these important topics: 🧵

YouTube video by Iowa's News Now No Kings rally in Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids #nokings #iowa 👏👏💙

Large crowd of people holding signs in front of golden-domed old capitol building.

NO KINGS #iowacity Crowds at 35+ other events across the state are ranging from 50 in tiny towns to at least 10K in Des Moines.

Devastating loss. Grieving with my MN friends and family and sending love to all state legislators and public servants who should never have to live in fear.

“One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise, she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ass for a lion.” #nokings #thomaspaine

Farmworkers now ‘belong fully’ in Maine minimum wage laws • Maine Morning Star After multiple attempts in recent years, farmworkers will now have the right to state minimum wage like most other employees in Maine.

Historic breakthrough in Maine: Gov. Mills has signed legislation extending the state min wage to farmworkers. Congrats to all who fought for years to win this! @maineaflcio.bsky.social @mecep.bsky.social

SEIU California | SEIU California President David Huerta Injured, Detained at ICE Raid in Los Angeles We are proud of President Huerta’s righteous participation as a community observer, in keeping with his long history of advocating for immigrant workers and with the highest values of our movement…

Let’s be clear: ICE injured and detained the president of SEIU California for peacefully observing.

ICE picked the wrong side. The wrong state. The wrong person. and the wrong union. David Huerta stood up. And now 750,000 SEIU workers are standing up behind him.

seiuca.org/press-releas...

FedEx stock went from 217.83 on Friday May 9 to 232.95 on Monday May 12.

What happened on Friday May 9 to make FedEx stock jump 7%? FedEx board member David Steiner was nominated to lead the Postal Service in the wake of a Wells Fargo report naming FedEx as a big winner if the Postal Service were privatized--an idea Trump has floated. #USPS 1/2