Recovery Package = New Jobs

How Do Low Wage Workers Fit Into the Equation?

February 17, 2009, 9:30am - 11:00am

With U.S. unemployment reaching 7.6 percent and a loss of 3.6 million jobs since the beginning of the recession, job creation is a priority for the Obama administration and 111th Congress. The still-pending American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes substantial investments in infrastructure, green jobs, and technological improvements that are aimed at getting America back to work. What will these efforts mean for disadvantaged and low-wage workers? How do we ensure that low-income people and communities of color benefit from this major national investment to get our economy back on track?

This panel will provide an overview of the current state of unemployment and jobs, the impact of the recession on low-wage workers, the job creation potential of a recovery package, and federal and state-level advocacy efforts to ensure that disadvantaged communities are not left behind.