May 2025 North America Newsletter
Access to high-quality employment is critical for economic mobility. Yet, many workers have jobs that do not pay living wages, have insufficient benefits or protections, or do not have the training needed to access in-demand jobs during a time of rapid technological advancement. Policymakers across the aisle are emphasizing the urgency of effective workforce development policies and programs through new investments, executive orders, and strategic plans. To help policymakers invest in what works, J-PAL North America’s Labor team catalyzes randomized evaluations of strategies that aim to promote worker prosperity and translates research findings into actionable policy lessons.
One promising approach to boost the economic mobility of low-income workers is sectoral employment programs—which train individuals for in-demand, high-wage jobs and include occupational skills training, career readiness training, wraparound support services, and strong connections to employers. Our sectoral employment evidence review synthesizes the results of nine evaluations of sectoral employment programs, which demonstrated consistent gains in participants’ total earnings over time. Following this publication, J-PAL North America amplified these actionable evidence insights to federal and state policymakers, supporting leaders to invest in programs that help workers prosper.
In this month’s newsletter, we invite you to read more about why states should invest in sectoral employment training programs in a new Governing opinion piece by J-PAL North America’s Associate Director of Policy, Kimberly Dadisman. Visit our webpage to learn more about our Labor team’s work and reach out if you have questions or would like to collaborate.
Sincerely,
Bridget Mercier and Sara van Nes
Labor Team, J-PAL North America
Opinion: How to direct workforce dollars where they'll pay off most
In a new Governing op-ed, J-PAL North America’s Associate Director of Policy Kimberly Dadisman calls on state policymakers to maximize their workforce development initiatives by directing dollars to sectoral employment programs, which have been shown to increase earnings by 12–34 percent in the years following the program. Sectoral employment programs train job-seekers, typically low-income individuals, for employment in specific industries with a strong labor demand (e.g., IT, health care, manufacturing) and opportunities for career growth. Sectoral employment programs are well-positioned to address dual challenges: supporting the economic mobility of workers while simultaneously meeting the skills needs of in-demand industries. Read the op-ed »
An evaluation of the Jonathan Clements Getting Going on Savings Initiative will measure the impact of gifting $1,000 contributions to Roth IRAs
Approximately one-third of US workers don’t have access to retirement plans through their employers, and in a given year, only 15 percent of US households will make independent contributions to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). There is a need for more rigorous evidence around how to encourage and sustain long-term savings. In partnership with the City of Boston and the John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy, J-PAL North America Co-Scientific Director Matthew Notowidigdo (University of Chicago) and J-PAL affiliates Raymond Kluender (Harvard University), and Alicia Modestino (Northeastern University) will evaluate the impacts of providing a $1,000 cash transfer to fund a Roth IRA on savings and other financial outcomes for participants in summer youth employment programs. The transfers will be funded by the Getting Going on Savings Initiative—a program launched by The Wall Street Journal’s financial columnist Jonathan Clements. Read more about Clements’ story and visit our webpage featuring the research project.
New job board aims to bolster the public interest workforce
In light of recent layoffs across federal agencies and nonprofit organizations, many dedicated public professionals are looking for their next opportunity. In response, a group of mission-driven organizations have come together to help—even if just in a small way. J-PAL North America is joining several peer organizations contributing to the Yale Tobin Center for Economic Policy’s newly launched Public Solutions Job Board. If you or anyone you know is searching for a new job in the public interest workforce, please visit and share: https://www.publicsolutionsjobs.org/
Featured Evaluation Summary
The impact of unconditional cash transfers on consumption and household balance sheets in the United States
Many people experiencing poverty face challenges paying for everyday goods and services and saving for their financial future. Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation testing the impact of monthly cash transfers of $1,000 for three years to low-income individuals in Texas and Illinois on household expenditures, debts and assets, and financial health. The large, recurring, time-limited cash transfer increased spending on basic needs, improved self-reported financial health, and equipped low-income households to handle short-term financial shocks. However, the findings suggest that transfers of this size, frequency, and duration may not increase wealth or improve financial outcomes in the long term for low-income households. Read more »
Featured Research Resource
So, you got a null result. Now what?
On the J-PAL blog, Michala Riis-Vestergaard (Senior Research, Education, and Training Manager, J-PAL Global) outlines a series of steps for researchers who find that the program or policy they evaluated had no discernable impact on the outcomes measured. These steps aim to get researchers closer to understanding what drives a null result, distinguishing between three possible explanations: imprecise estimates, implementation failure, and a true lack of impact. Read the blog post »
Media Highlights
The WSJ’s Jonathan Clements Wants to Leave a Living Legacy
The Wall Street Journal