Interview: New Englanders aren’t moving as much with Pinghui Wu
Six Hundred Atlantic
The story after the pandemic started was that people were relocating more. But now, New Englanders just aren’t making as many moves, either short- or long-distance. Boston Fed economist Pinghui Wu talks about the trend and what it means.
info_outline
Interview: Working Places at 10 with Colleen Dawicki
Six Hundred Atlantic
How can smaller cities recover after their industry disappears? The Working Places initiative exists because Boston Fed researchers wanted to answer that question. On its 10th anniversary, director Colleen Dawicki discusses successes and lessons learned.
info_outline
Check fraud with Mike Timoney
Six Hundred Atlantic
Check fraud is on the rise, even as the number of checks in circulation is dropping. Why? Boston Fed payments fraud expert Mike Timoney discusses why checks are an attractive target for thieves and how consumers can protect themselves.
info_outline
Is a criminal history a life sentence in the labor markets?
Six Hundred Atlantic
Employers are reluctant to hire people with criminal histories, and that can be a drag on the economy, because they make up a surprisingly large part of the population. What can be done to reduce employer risks while giving this group a fair chance?
info_outline
Gig workers are undercounted – or unseen
Six Hundred Atlantic
Research by a Boston Fed economist indicates that as many as 7 million “gig workers” aren’t being counted in the main survey that measures U.S. employment. Why? And how can policymakers get a more accurate view of their contributions to the economy?
info_outline
2 things holding women back in the workforce
Six Hundred Atlantic
The female workforce participation rate has flatlined in the U.S. over the last 30 years. Why? One reason is a lack of state-funded “family policies,” like child care. Meanwhile, the rise of so-called “performance pay” has left some women behind.
info_outline
The “other” mandate: What makes full employment hard to define, hard to reach
Six Hundred Atlantic
“Full employment” is often overshadowed by the better-known half of the Fed’s dual mandate from Congress: “stable prices,” but both are equally important to the Fed. This overview defines full employment and looks at why some groups are struggling to reach it.
info_outline
Stablecoins and financial stability with Kenechukwu Anadu
Six Hundred Atlantic
Kenechukwu Anadu, who co-leads a group focused on bank, non-bank, and financial stability risks, discusses stablecoins – a type of crypto asset – and the potential impacts of their rapid growth on the stability of the financial system.
info_outline
Employer involvement in child care with Sarah Savage
Six Hundred Atlantic
Can employers do more to solve the child care crisis? Some policy groups say child care and employer would benefit if they did. Boston Fed senior policy analyst Sarah Savage discusses what deeper employer involvement looks like and what it could mean.
info_outline
New England’s opioid crisis with Amanda Blanco and Steve Osemwenkhae
Six Hundred Atlantic
The Boston Fed has long studied New England’s opioid crisis because of its economic impacts. In this episode, Boston Fed writer Amanda Blanco and photographer Steve Osemwenkhae discuss what they learned from talking with people fighting addiction and helping others overcome it.
info_outlineThe condition of U.S. currency–including whether it’s genuine–is the business of the Federal Reserve because healthy currency is essential to keep the economy moving. But how does the Fed know when notes aren’t “fit for commerce?” Or when they’re fake?