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The Worker Institute's research, policy, and technical assistance program focuses on the innovative work led by faculty in our three key initiative areas:  Equity at Work, Labor Leading on Climate Initiative, and Precarious Work.

All these projects have been successful individually in advancing key policy recommendations and in developing partnerships with social justice advocates, elected officials, and policy stakeholders. 

The Worker Institute serves as a hub for policy research, publication, and training for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and activists engaged in the public debate to reduce economic inequality.

Equity at Work

Learn more about Equity at Work

Equity at Work tackles difficult questions of gendered and racialized harassment, discrimination, and violence, examining their varied manifestations in different industries and workplaces.  

Equity in Focus: Job Creation for a Just Society

This report explores these themes and discusses how policymakers, practitioners, and advocates are addressing the inequities in three sectors: the child care economy, the clean energy economy, and the construction trades, as presented in the Equity in focus—Job Creation for a Just Society series.
Women working during the pandemic
Equity in Focus: Job Creation for a Just Society

New study documents low wages and precarity of nail salon workers in New York State despite recent legislation

“Unvarnished: Precarity and Poor Working Conditions for Nail Salon Workers in New York State,” highlights the challenges of raising standards in the nail salon industry and also calls attention to the role of worker organizing and advocacy in driving industry change.
Nail Salon Worker
New study documents low wages and precarity of nail salon workers in New York State despite recent legislation

New study documents workplace sexual harassment and violence in California janitorial industry

Today, the Worker Institute at Cornell ILR released a new report that documents experiences of workplace sexual harassment in the California janitorial industry, as well as the conditions that hinder reporting and impose silence.
Women standing at a protest
New study documents workplace sexual harassment and violence in California janitorial industry

Precarious Work

Learn more about Precarious Work

Precarious Work focuses on low-wage workers who are often without either collective representation or regulatory coverage; projects here include examining understudied areas of the “gig economy."

 

Assessing the Impact of Prevailing Wage Benefits on Workers, Contractors, and the New York City Economy

This research report illustrates how PW laws might make union construction labor more cost effective than non-union construction labor for PW jobs.
PW image
Assessing the Impact of Prevailing Wage Benefits on Workers, Contractors, and the New York City Economy

Unpaid Care Work and Its Impact on New Yorkers' Paid Employment

To explore current patterns of unpaid caregiving and its impact on New Yorkers’ paid employment, the Worker Institute has published a policy brief sharing relevant findings from the 2022 Empire State Poll, carried out by the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR).
home care worker
Unpaid Care Work and Its Impact on New Yorkers' Paid Employment

First of its kind industry report shows New York City’s App-based delivery workers experience harsh working conditions

Los Deliveristas / Worker's Justice Project and Cornell ILR’s Worker Institute released a new report titled, “Essential but Unprotected: App-based Food Couriers in New York City.” The report examines the harsh and unregulated working conditions of app-based delivery workers engaged by digital platforms.
Delivery Biker in New York City
First of its kind industry report shows New York City’s App-based delivery workers experience harsh working conditions

Reports and Publications

See all Worker Institute Reports and Publications

Diminishing NYS Public Mental Health Sector

This report explores the effects that privatization and austerity have had on mental healthcare capacity in NYS & the employment & wages of public sector mental health workers. Research finds that the public sector mental healthcare workforce & the state’s mental healthcare capacity have decreased significantly between 1990 & 2021.
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Diminishing NYS Public Mental Health Sector

The Impact of Sexual Harassment and Gendered Violence on Workers in New York State

Workplace sexual harassment and violence have been put under the spotlight during the past five years, heightening public awareness of how pervasive these issues are. Amid this increased attention, policymakers, employers, and unions continue to grapple with the question of how to effectively respond.
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The Impact of Sexual Harassment and Gendered Violence on Workers in New York State

Pricing Standards

The ILR Worker Institute released a report in April 2022 entitled Unvarnished: Precarity and Poor Working Conditions for Nail Salon Workers in New York State that detailed the poor working conditions and low wages that nail salon workers in New York State face.
Wage Salon
Pricing Standards

Events

See all Worker Institute Events

Learning to lead: ILR institute trains the next generation of union organizers

Cornell Chronicle
A former sanitation worker, Hill is one of 32 labor professionals set to graduate June 6 from the AFL-CIO/Cornell-ILR Union Leadership Institute (ULI).
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Learning to lead: ILR institute trains the next generation of union organizers

Launch of Ed Vargas Legacy Fund Celebrates Labor Legacy

The Ed Vargas Legacy Fund launched on Mar. 7 with over $100,000 in donations. Friends, family and colleagues gathered at Cornell ILR’s New York City headquarters to commemorate Vargas and continue his legacy.
Ed Vargas
Launch of Ed Vargas Legacy Fund Celebrates Labor Legacy

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