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Writer's pictureRachel Lipson

COVID-19 Workforce & Labor Market Resources

The Project on Workforce at the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy has collated a set of resources to support policymakers, researchers, and employers in analyzing and responding to the employment impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. If you are aware of additional resources that we should consider adding and sharing, please let us know here

Labor market

  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes monthly employment data by industry. The varied effects of COVID-19 on different American industries can be clearly seen in their data and visualizations. Changes in employment are also broken down by state.

  • Opportunity Insights has launched the OI Economic Tracker that brings together commercial data and public-sector information in a new real-time economic dashboard to help policymakers and nonprofits understand the dimensions of the COVID-induced economic downturn. Users can filter key economic indicators by geographic area, industry, and income level.

  • Emsi, a labor market data company, has created a tool to visualize trends in job postings by job type and location. They are also publishing reports using their job posting data about COVID’s impacts on different industries.

  • OnwardUS is a resource that collates essential service offerings, training resources, and job search resources in a one-stop format online for states. The initial set of state websites available is limited but growing quickly.

  • Glassdoor is using its database of job opportunities to analyze the distribution of remote job opportunities, essential service jobs, opportunities for healthcare professionals, and businesses with increased hiring demand. To view “hiring surge” companies in the US - see this page. Glassdoor’s research arm is putting out insights on the sectoral and occupation-level hiring impacts from COVID using its monthly job reports.

  • Indeed is also using its live posting data to compile lists of major national companies that have recently added job postings through their website. Indeed’s Hiring Lab is releasing frequent new insights on the state of the labor market during COVID.

  • Economists at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business released a white paper estimating the feasibility of working at home for all occupations and calculating the share of jobs that can be done from home. The data, including industry and location-specific estimates, is available for download.

  • The New York Times is tracking states’ reopening decisions and which kinds of businesses are allowed to open their doors.

  • Layoffs.fyi, an online tool created by a San Francisco entrepreneur, has been tracking tech industry layoffs in real-time since the onset of the pandemic by compiling public reports on job losses. While it is mostly watching venture-backed startups, it also includes publicly traded companies such as Lyft and TripAdvisor.

Higher Education & Training

  • The Chronicle of Higher Education is compiling public information about individual colleges’ plans to open for Fall 2020 and beyond. For most colleges, links to sources are provided, and a form for additional colleges to add their information is embedded. 

  • Edquity, a financial planning platform for students, has created a guide including support resources for a variety of potential student needs. There are also guides specific to a few U.S. cities. Edquity is also able to work with colleges to provide emergency support to their students.

  • Achieving the Dream, a nonprofit working with a network of community colleges across the US, has developed a set of resources for higher education institutions. Topics include online teaching, student services, and administrative guidance, and virtual consultations are also available for colleges in the network.

  • The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, a philanthropy with education as one of its key focuses, has compiled a set of online learning resources for educators and students.

  • Believe in Students, a nonprofit focused on meeting college students’ living expense needs, has partnered with a range of other education-focused organizations to launch an emergency fund for college students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations are currently being accepted, colleges can reach out to sign up, and students will be able to apply for funds through their colleges.

  • LinkedIn has compiled a range of online courses for online teaching. There are also courses on working from home that are helpful for students and faculty alike, and all of them are available to LinkedIn members.

  • Educause, a nonprofit for advancing higher education through information technology, has compiled a list of free and discounted technology and education resources for colleges. A list of corporations and service providers offering their own resources and tips is also being collected.

Policy Response

Compiled by Rachel Lipson and Michael Yin

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