Equality Is Not Enough: Reflections on the Paycheck Protection Program

Our society often designs and implements policies that prioritize equality, but prioritizing equity or justice would better address the disparities between racial groups. Read More  

An Uphill Battle: COVID-19’s Outsized Toll on Minority-Owned Firms

Data suggest that minority-owned small businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. This report considers various data sources and examines possible explanations for race-level differences in COVID-19’s impact on businesses. Read More  

On the Ground in the Fourth District: COVID-19 Impacts on Communities and the Organizations Serving Them

In a follow-up to a report on how COVID-19 is affecting communities and service organizations nationally, the Cleveland Fed reports the insights of more than 600 direct service providers in its own Fourth District. Read more  

For Too Many Minority Workers, Earnings Still Don’t Add Up

Gaps in earnings—the annual wage of workers aged 16 and older—matter. While there are some reasons for optimism, there is also a need for ongoing vigilance about how this economy is playing out in real time for minority workers and their families. Read More  

Strong Recovery for Whom? Trends in Dayton, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Exemplify Growing Earnings Gaps between Minority and White Workers Present in Many US Regions

The gap in earnings between the typical white and minority worker grew in these two metro areas more than any other metro area during a 10-year period encompassing both the Great Recession and subsequent recovery. The reasons for the growing gap differ, reflecting divergent trends existent across the country. Read the report.