Employers Shift the Risks of Fluctuating Demand Onto Workers
New Pew Research Center data show that many Americans are struggling to afford basic costs even as headline economic indicators look strong. In a discussion at Aspen Ideas: Economy, economist Jonathan Morduch and labor economist Kathryn Edwards argue that annual figures obscure the week-to-week volatility many workers face, often because their hours and pay fluctuate. They say that instability shifts business risk onto households and cannot be solved by budgeting advice alone; greater predictability and worker bargaining power are needed.
The Aspen Institute·Oct 27, 2026·9 min read
