Getting and Keeping a Good Job: Labor Market Trajectories in High Poverty Neighborhoods

• In Event: 411 - Section on Inequality, Poverty, and Mobility Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 13. Economic Inequality and Survival

Abstract

We use longitudinal data from the Labor Market Health Care Project, obtained from a two-stage cluster probability sample, to examine the likelihood that workers in high poverty, predominately black neighborhoods in Mobile, Alabama will obtain a “good” or primary labor market job over their life course. During household interviews we collect employment history data both retrospectively and prospectively. These data include information on employer provided health insurance and retirement benefits. Contrary to the stereotype that most people in poor neighborhoods do not work, over 95 percent of participants in our study have significant histories of labor force participation and employment. Survival analysis shows that more than about 64 percent workers will not obtain employment in the primary labor market during their lifetime. We also estimate that more than 70 percent of the workers who do make it into the “good job” labor market will exit this market into either a mediocre job or bad job before the end of their career.

Authors

• Kenneth Hudson, University of South Alabama

• Andrea Hudson, University of South Alabama

• Marcellus Hudson, University of South Alabama