by Chinonso Opurum, Emily Eisenhauer
Persistent and growing disparities between minority workers and White workers in terms of unemployment, underemployment and wages do not bode well for Florida’s future. Historically, the stark difference in outcomes in unemployment, underemployment and Involuntary part-time workers for minorities particularly for African-Americans between the 1990s cycle and that of the 2000s show us that outcomes in the growth period of the 90s were less favorable for minority workers. Although unemployment has improved over time for African Americans and Hispanics, it remains twice as high as for Whites, and much more vulnerable to changes in the labor market. While wages have grown for all groups they have not grown as much for minority workers as for Whites. As the current recession deepens, minority workers fall further behind White workers. Hence, to ensure that all workers are a part of economic recovery, Florida needs to embark on specific policies that would reduce the wage and employment gap between minority workers and Whites.
