Research

My research focuses on the effect of precarious work on workers, children, and the broader economy.  I study formal labor markets that contribute to wage stagnation, the growing gig economy, informal labor markets, and each of their effects on structural poverty. My research uses economic theory and econometric methods to understand how current labor market conditions and public policy influence the quality of low-wage work and child and family wellbeing

Working Papers

Spillover Effects of the Gig Economy

How Uber drives earnings and employment 

The rise of the gig economy —that is, firms which connect consumers with workers via websites and apps –has led to popular debate on the future nature of work and pushed academics to question whether gig work can rival traditional employment. Meanwhile less than 2 percent of U.S. workers participate in gig work. However, by disrupting existing industries and providing a uniquely flexible form of work, the gig economy might influence the labor market outcomes of many more workers than just those directly engaged. In this paper, I estimate the indirect effects of gig work on the earnings and employment of workers in the formal sector. To do so, I exploit the staggered roll-out of Uber across the U.S. I find the arrival of Uber led to an 8.7 percent decline in employment among taxi drivers, consistent with the complementary nature of taxi and Uber services. However, across all industries, I find that the arrival of Uber leads to a 5.5 percent increase in employment. This effect translates into Uber’s arrival creating 4.8 million additional jobs, more than twice the number of workers directly engaged in gig work.

The Effect of the Philadelphia Fair Workweek Standard on Workers and their Families 

(with Elizabeth Ananat and Anna Gassman-Pines)

The paper evaluates a new labor law in Philadelphia, PA, the Fair Workweek Standard (FWS), which aims to deter “on-call scheduling,” in which retail and food service employers shift the burden of decreased customer demand to low-wage workers by canceling or changing work schedules at the last minute. The FWS was passed in late 2018 and went into effect on July 1, 2020.

This paper will investigate 1) the impact of the FWS on workers’ schedule instability and 2) the effects of schedule instability on the well-being of low-wage workers and their families. We hypothesize that the FWS will decrease schedule instability and that such decreased instability will improving workers’ well-being and their families’ functioning.

Informal Work and Labor Policy

Examining links between formal and informal work

Long before the development of Uber or TaskRabbit, alternative and informal work was a significant factor in U.S. labor markets. By increasing income volatility, informal work can exacerbate existing inequalities while leaving workers without the protection of many aspects of the social safety net. While policymakers are concerned about the impact of informal labor on workers, little is known about the drivers of informality or the relationship between formal policy and informal work. I propose examining whether labor policies influence participation in informal work for Black and Hispanic households in order to determine how existing policy can influence informal work. By exploiting variation in state labor policies, specifically minimum wages, paid leave policies, and right to work laws, I seek to determine the effect of changes in policy on informal work participation.

Other Publications

How Do Low-Income Families Spend Their Money? (2021)

with L. Gennetian and J. Conwell

EconoFact Blog Post