Early in the pandemic, there were lots of temporary job losses. Businesses were shut, temporarily. People were furloughed, temporarily, and would hopefully get back to work, eventually. But now, 4 million people are suffering with long-term unemployment. “That is...
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In the News
How the police bank millions through their union contracts
Asbury Park Press discusses how the police bank millions through their union contracts and quotes Richard Keevey. Asbury Park Press, February 8, 2021 (subscription required)
A Career-Aligned Major Isn’t Enough
Contrary to what many undergraduates think, a bachelor’s degree in a high demand field is not a golden ticket to career success. To wit... "If anything, the numbers point to an oversupply of skills, says Hal Salzman, a sociologist at Rutgers University. In a...
Americans Worried About Post-COVID Job Market
More Americans think that jobs, careers and employment opportunities after the pandemic will be harder to obtain for the next generation than they were following the 2008 Great Recession, according to a new Rutgers report. The report, published by the Heldrich Center...
The downsides of the gig economy
The gig economy was on the rise before the pandemic drove many to independent work. However, experts warn there are major pitfalls to relying solely on gigs. Rutgers professor Carl Van Horn, who serves as director of the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, says...
Journalism, not-for-profit style: the news we need (by, for and with those who need it)
“ I have complete confidence in the response and dedication of our citizens whenever they are fully informed.” So said President John F. Kennedy in remarks delivered at the American Newspaper Publishers Association gathering in 1961. JFK went on to recall...
Average NJ property tax bill now $9,111 — How your town compares
Property taxes went up by $158 for the average New Jersey homeowner last year, according to figures compiled by New Jersey 101.5. The total jump in the tax levy was the most in 10 years. The average residential property tax bill in 2020 was $9,111, an increase of...
Economic outlook brightens, focus on governance, TD Bank closing branches
An updated economic projection from the Congressional Budget Office takes a brighter view. The CBO is now projecting that the economy will bounce back strongly this year, as COVID-19 vaccines roll out and the impact from the last stimulus package takes hold. But even...
From theater director to cheese expert: Displaced workers in some industries switch careers to stay afloat
With close to 1 million people still filing for first-time unemployment benefits every week, displaced workers in industries like travel, hospitality and entertainment are finding that they have to reorient their professional skills — and in some cases, their entire...
COVID changed how we work. Experts say commuting in N.J. must now change, too
Some of that return (to workplaces) depends on the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccine, which currently is in short supply. “It is possible the vaccine will be 80 to 90% effective, so we have another year of muddling through,” said Jon Carnegie, executive...