Vox's Emily Stewart talks with Janelle Jones, chief economist at the Labor Department, about what's actually going on with the US economy — and who are the workers most dramatically affected by the pandemic. They discuss the tasks ahead in an economic recovery, who should receive the most help, and how to put policies in place that do more than just return to the status quo.

Host: Emily Stewart (@EmilyStewartM), Senior Reporter, Vox

Guest: Janelle Jones (@janellecj), Chief Economist, Department of Labor

References: 

• “U.S. Labor Shortage? Unlikely. Here’s Why” by Heidi Shierholz (May 4, The Commons blog, Initiative for Public Discourse)
• “Lumber mania is sweeping North America” by Emily Stewart (May 3, Vox)
• “Black workers have made no progress in closing earning gaps with white men since 2000” by Elise Gould, Janelle Jones, and Zane Mokhiber (Sept. 12, 2018, Working Economics Blog)
• “The U.S. economy could use some ‘overheating’” by Josh Bivens (Jan. 14, Working Economics Blog)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
• VP, Vox Audio: Liz Kelly Nelson

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