《Can Workers in Low-End Occupations Climb the Job Ladder?》

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作者
来源
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY,Vol.33,Issue2SI,P.92-106
语言
英文
关键字
low-wage jobs; job ladder; labor market dynamics; UNITED-STATES; MOBILITY; POLARIZATION; EARNINGS; GENDER; SKILLS; AGGLOMERATION; INEQUALITY; KNOWLEDGE; DYNAMICS
作者单位
[Gabe, Todd] Univ Maine, 5782 Winslow Hall, Orono, ME 04469 USA. [Abel, Jaison R.] Fed Reserve Bank New York, New York, NY 10045 USA. [Florida, Richard] Univ Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Gabe, T (reprint author), Univ Maine, 5782 Winslow Hall, Orono, ME 04469 USA. E-Mail: todd.gabe@maine.edu
摘要
There is growing concern over rising economic inequality, the decline of the middle class, and a polarization of the U.S. workforce. This study examines the extent to which workers in the United States transition from low-end to higher-quality occupations, and explores the factors associated with such a move up the job ladder. Using data covering the expansion following the Great Recession (2011-2017) and focusing on short-term (i.e., less than 1 year) labor market transitions, the authors find that just slightly more than 5% of workers in low-end occupations moved into a higher-quality occupation. Instead, around 70% of workers in low-end occupations stayed in the same occupation, 11% exited the labor force, 7% became unemployed, and 6% switched to a different low-end occupation. Study results point to the importance of educational attainment in helping workers successfully climb the job ladder.