This brief examines the disproportionately low rates of job-based health coverage for low-wage California workers, the costs to the state and nation, and possible policy options, drawing on lessons from other states.

This blog post explains Social Security’s vital importance to millions of Californians, underscores its role as a key driver of the state economy, and highlights broad bipartisan support for sensible proposals to strengthen the system’s finances and enhance benefits for vulnerable groups.

This factsheet highlights the characteristics of the private sector security guard workforce in California, the Los Angeles MSA, and the five-county Bay Area, and highlights the need to improve labor conditions in the industry.

Student Iris De Leon provides a firsthand account of this year’s Solidarity Spring, a three-day spring break program during which 50 undergraduates met with workers, tenants, artists, and organizers in the Bay Area to engage in a wide range of activities and learn what solidarity means.

Across the country, cities and counties have become laboratories of policy innovation on labor standards. Before 2012, only five localities had minimum wage laws; currently, 65 counties and cities do. To help inform policymakers and other stakeholders, the UC Berkeley Labor Center is maintaining an up-to-date inventory of these laws, with details on wage levels, scheduled increases, and other law details, as well as links to the ordinances.

This factsheet describes the characteristics of the private sector security guard workforce in Seattle and the state of Washington, highlighting the need to improve labor conditions in the industry.

Miranda Dietz testified before the California Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services about who in the state is employed, who has health coverage, what the gap is, and why there are people who are working full time who do not have health coverage. 

JUST UPDATED! The California Green Economy Public Funding Tracker provides information on open funding opportunities focused on clean energy, manufacturing, climate change, and workforce training from California state agencies.

Comments submitted to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors highlighting Labor Center research on the economic harms associated with H.R. 1 due to the need for funding to backfill the federal Medi-Cal cuts.

Enrique Lopezlira testified at the March 11, 2026, hearing of the California Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee on “A Year in Review: 2025 Federal Policy Impacts on California’s Labor Market.” View video and slideshow.

Miranda Dietz testified before a joint session of the California Senate and Assembly Health Committees on the challenges Californians face with health care access and affordability. View video and slideshow.

We provide county-level projections of how many fewer Californians will be enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal by 2028 as a result of policy changes in federal H.R.1 and the enacted 2025-26 state budget.

Testimony of Josh Sonnenfeld before the California State Environmental Quality Committee at a hearing on Environmental Impacts of and Considerations for Refinery Closures.

Miranda Dietz testified before the California Senate Budget Committee on the potential impacts of federal and state cuts to Medi-Cal. View video and slideshow.

For students like Levin Lam, Labor Summer is a game-changer.

Testimony by Nari Rhee before the U.S. House HELP Subcommittee highlighting the challenges that most American workers face in the existing retirement system and offering some considerations for integrating lifetime income products into 401(k) plans.

This factsheet describes the characteristics of the private sector security guard workforce in Baltimore, highlighting the need to improve labor conditions in the industry.

Additional details to accompany the “Know Your Rights” flyer that is provided to all California students seeking a work permit.

This blog post examines the extraordinary growth in job-based health care costs, how this impacts California workers, and what the state can do to mitigate the problem. We focus on costs for family coverage, though a similar story could be told about the cost of single coverage.