Economic and Workforce Development
We look at current conditions in the district’s labor markets and trends affecting its workers, as well as topics related to healthy labor markets, such as workforce development and education.
Recent Articles
Notes from the Field
Listening, Collaborating, and Learning: How the Cleveland Fed’s Community Advisory Council Helps Foster Inclusive Economies
08.17.2023
With the help of its Community Advisory Council, the Community Development Department collaborates with business and community leaders to promote economic resilience and mobility of low- and moderate-income communities and underserved individuals.
Community Development Reports
Worker Voices: Shifting Perspectives and Expectations
08.10.2023
Worker Voices provides a unique view into how job seekers and workers without a four-year degree navigated the labor market during the COVID-19 pandemic and through the recovery — and how it changed what they expect from a job.
Notes from the Field
Workers are Essential for Rebuilding after Historic Flooding in Eastern Kentucky
03.09.2023
Recovering from an emergency event is accomplished in phases—and with many hands. Seeing the many pressing needs of the area, one eastern Kentucky nonprofit realized that more staffing was part of the solution and took action.
Notes from the Field
Increasing Broadband Access and Affordability: How the Affordable Connectivity Program Can Bridge the Digital Divide
09.08.2022
To achieve digitally inclusive communities, one must consider both access to and affordability of broadband. This program can help with both.
Notes from the Field
Worker Voices Project: Perspectives from Ohio
09.02.2022
This summer, the Cleveland Fed held its first listening session to hear perspectives from workers—particularly low-wage workers and workers of color. The biggest takeaway? Job quality—not just a paycheck—is more important than ever.
Community Development Reports
Does Job Quality Affect Occupational Mobility?
08.04.2022
Workers in the highest-quality jobs are more likely to remain in those jobs and less likely to be unemployed or leave the labor force. The opposite is true for workers in the lowest-quality jobs. This analysis adds to a growing body of research about job quality and shows that it is an important dimension of the labor market to consider.
Cleveland Fed District Data Brief
Demographic Trends Are Major Factors in Today’s Weak Labor Force Growth
04.21.2022
The size of the US labor force declined by 2.3 million people between December 2019 and December 2021. Our experts examine demographic changes to determine if this decline is a passing trend or if it’s here to stay.
Notes from the Field
When Benefits Cliffs Turn Raises into Penalties, Local and National Efforts Help Workers and Employers Navigate Options
03.23.2022
Getting a raise is usually a good thing. But what if it comes at the cost of losing a benefit that you rely on? Here’s what some organizations are doing to help workers navigate the path to economic independence.
Regional Policy Report
Manufacturing Wage Premiums Have Diverged between Production and Nonproduction Workers
11.08.2021
Manufacturing jobs have long been associated with good wages. While some manufacturing workers still enjoy relatively high wages, the premium for workers on the factory floor has shrunk dramatically. Why? And what does it mean for workforce policy?
Notes from the Field
Access to Broadband is Essential for Positive Economic Outcomes
08.16.2021
Though the pandemic has put the spotlight on the issue of limited broadband access in some regions, the Federal Reserve System has been studying it for years. Recent analyses explore the relationship between broadband access and labor market outcomes.
Community Development Reports
Missed Connections in Cleveland: The Disconnect Between Job Access and Employment
08.11.2021
Generally, a high job-access rate has a positive impact on employment; that is, in areas where jobs are easier to reach, employment rates are usually higher. But this isn’t true for the Cleveland metro area. In fact, we see the reverse: Neighborhoods with high rates of job access tend to have low employment rates, and neighborhoods with low rates of job access tend to have high employment rates.
Community Development Reports
Rural Employment in Four States: A Story of Specialization and Change (2010 through 2019)
05.27.2021
Is specializing in an industry the way to economic success or the road to economic challenges for rural communities? It depends on the community’s resilience.
Notes from the Field
Investing in Community-Driven Solutions Key to Pandemic Recovery
04.01.2021
Communities know what improvements they need, but many lack resources or infrastructure to act. This policy tool, and an example of where it is working, can help communities put solutions into action.