Inequalities of Employment in the United States (2020)

Despite recent declines in rates of unemployment, systematic inequalities relating to employment still exist in the culture of the United States. Our project considers variable impacts across race and ethnicity, describing inequalities in employment opportunities for people of color and showing how unequal distribution of wealth disproportionately privileges white people. We also consider how gender shapes employment, specifically how women experience comparative disadvantages in the labor market. We show that Americans who face difficulties in attaining a living wage and receiving sustainable government aid are especially undercut by the dynamics of the labor market. The impact of the present COVID-19 pandemic, and its ramifications for our nation’s workforce, rounds out our discussion.