While the technology-enabled “gig economy” and the rise of contingent work are welcomed by many workers, employers and consumers, they have created a challenge for existing systems of worker benefits structured around full-time employment, including workers’ compensation programs designed to help workers who are injured on the job.
Analyzing and recommending options for modernizing state-run workers’ compensation systems to adapt them to the needs of the twenty-first century American workforce is the goal of this year-long policy research project. Working with policymakers and other stakeholders, students will gain valuable experience in real-world policy analysis on an important contemporary topic while learning to present findings in both published and video documentary form in a way that maximizes their accessibility and impact.