She Works, He Works?
How is the U.S. labor force changing over time? The labor force participation rate has generally been in decline since the late 1990s. Aging explains part of the overall change, since this is when baby boomers began to retire, partially offset by advances in health that have improved the longevity of the workforce. Another reason is the rising educational attainment of the workforce, which means fewer total years spent in the workforce. How does the labor force differ by gender? When it comes to things like productivity and choice of occupation, gender differences have been observed. Could there be differences […]
Rebuild or Relocate?
On September 2017, the catastrophic tropical cyclone Hurricane Maria tore through the Caribbean, mainly in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, leaving three thousand dead, 70 percent of the housing damaged, and other signs of destruction that are still evident, nine years later. Fewer than ten percent of homeowners were insured. Never ones to waste a crisis, economists are poring over the event for useful lessons in such things as whether U.S. post-disaster policies are effective. “Currently, federal policy focuses on preserving communities,” said Shifrah Aron-Dine, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Berkeley. “The emphasis is on rebuilding subsidies for homeowners with property […]