Although the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reached 38 million people in 2019, an estimated 18 percent of eligible households do not participate in the program. Economists Jason Cook and Chloe East will examine the extent to which caseworker discretion impacts SNAP accessibility and the labor market outcomes for applicants who are denied SNAP benefits. They will analyze administrative datasets on SNAP applications and Unemployment Insurance records for their study.

The federal government spends more than $19 billion annually on training programs designed to improve economic mobility for low- and moderately-paid workers. However, evidence of the efficacy of these programs is mixed. Economists Patrick Turner, Tania Barham, and Brian Cadena will examine the impact of a tuition free, non-profit IT training program on employment, earnings, and educational outcomes. They will partner with the organization NPower and conduct a randomized controlled trial evaluation of their Tech Fundamentals program for their study.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its corresponding effects on work, such as increased burnout, the four-day work week has re-emerged as a way to promote work-life balance, productivity, and a reduction in companies’ carbon footprint. Economist Juliet Schor and sociologists Wen Fan and Phyllis Moen will examine the effect of a four-day work week schedule on job quality, worker productivity, workers’ quality of life, and the environment.

While it is illegal for firms to discriminate against applicants or employees because they are members of a protected class it has been shown that these protected characteristics influence employers’ treatment of job applicants. Economists Patrick Kline, Christopher Walters, and Evan Rose will examine public perception of employment discrimination and how perception varies amongst different groups. They will conduct a survey with 3,000 respondents for their study.

In 2015, women held just 25 percent of computing-related jobs, a lower percentage than in the 1990s. Economists Ashley Craig and Clémentine Van Effenterre will investigate the gender disparities in coding interview evaluations used to hire computer programmers. They will analyze data from an online coding interview practice platform for their study.

Co-funded by The Washington Center for Equitable Growth

Despite a reduction in the Black-White gaps in high school completion and achievement scores since 1980, the college attainment gap has increased. Economists Jonathan Smythe and Andria Smythe and higher education expert Justin Ortagus will examine the extent to which Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) reduce racial gaps in economic wellbeing. They will use data from College Board, National Student Clearinghouse data, and TransUnion credit bureau data. 

Co-funded by The Washington Center for Equitable Growth

One reason that minority homeowners face a higher tax burden than non-minority homeowners is because they are less likely to appeal their assessed values. Economists Andrew Simon and David Novgorodsky and public policy scholar Justin Holz will examine the causes of racial discrepancies in property tax appeals. They will conduct an experiment and analyze data on property taxes and lottery winnings as well as credit score and income data for their study.

College-in-prison programs have the potential to improve behavior and safety within prisons and prepare incarcerated individuals for reintegration into their communities, families, and the labor market. Economists Mary Lopez and Jorgen Harris will examine how in-person college courses in California prisons impact incarcerated individuals’ preparation for their release. They will utilize data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California Department of Justice, and information on college-in-prison programs for their study.