WPI Labor Day Report 2022

Four years ago, Littler Workplace Policy Institute (WPI) issued its first Labor Day Report, analyzing the state of the U.S. workforce, the regulatory and logistical hurdles employers faced, and the challenges that lay ahead. At the time, the country was nearly two years into a new presidential administration, the U.S. labor market enjoyed a historically low unemployment rate yet a relatively low labor market participation rate, and the growing skills gap was becoming more apparent. Four years, a new administration, and a global pandemic later, the issues confronting employers and the U.S. economy are both familiar yet markedly different.

As inflation rises, national and global unrest grows, and the threat of a recession looms, the economy has become more turbulent than ever. Moreover, while many employers and employees continue to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19, the rate and extent of recovery varies significantly by industry, level of education,