Employers are reluctant to hire people with criminal histories, and that can be a drag on the economy, because they make up a surprisingly large part of the population. What can be done to reduce employer risks while giving this group a fair chance ..read more

Research by a Boston Fed economist indicates that as many as 7 million “gig workers” aren’t being counted in the main survey that measures U.S. employment. Why? And how can policymakers get a more accurate view of their contributions to the economy ..read more

The female workforce participation rate has flatlined in the U.S. over the last 30 years. Why? One reason is a lack of state-funded “family policies,” like child care. Meanwhile, the rise of so-called “performance pay” has left some women behind ..read more

“Full employment” is often overshadowed by the better-known half of the Fed’s dual mandate from Congress: “stable prices,” but both are equally important to the Fed. This overview defines full employment and looks at why some groups are struggling to reach it ..read more

Kenechukwu Anadu, who co-leads a group focused on bank, non-bank, and financial stability risks, discusses stablecoins – a type of crypto asset – and the potential impacts of their rapid growth on the stability of the financial system.   ..read more

Can employers do more to solve the child care crisis? Some policy groups say child care and employer would benefit if they did. Boston Fed senior policy analyst Sarah Savage discusses what deeper employer involvement looks like and what it could mean ..read more

The Boston Fed has long studied New England’s opioid crisis because of its economic impacts. In this episode, Boston Fed writer Amanda Blanco and photographer Steve Osemwenkhae discuss what they learned from talking with people fighting addiction and helping others overcome it ..read more

Personal excess savings in the U.S. reached extraordinarily high levels during the pandemic, peaking between $2.0 – $2.6 trillion in 2021. That’s equal to 10% of the nation’s gross domestic product. Economists believe these savings helped keep the economy moving during post-pandemic inflation because consumers could use that money to keep spending. But there’s wide disagreement about how much of these excess savings is left – and what happens when it’s gone. In this episode of Six Hundred Atlantic, Boston Fed economist Omar Barbiero discusses why excess savings matter, why estimates vary widel ..read more

Opioid-related deaths spiked more than 60% in two years during the pandemic, and that intensified the focus on treating opioid use disorder. But do some treatments impact employment prospects more than others? In this episode of Six Hundred Atlantic, Boston Fed senior economist Mary Burke discusses certain opioid use disorder medications and how they affect job prospects for patients and reduce the economic burden on society ..read more

In the season’s final episode, we’re looking at two ongoing pandemic-era trends. One is the unexpected surge in startups. The other is the increasing influence of automation. What do these trends and others tell us about what’s ahead for labor markets ..read more