Stevenson is a labor economist who publishes widely about the labor market and the impact of public policies on outcomes both in the labor market and for families. Her research explores women's labor market experiences, the economic forces shaping the modern family, and how these experiences and forces influence each other. She served as the chief economist of the U.S. Department of Labor from 2010 to 2011, participating as the secretary's deputy to the White House economic team.
From A.I. to zero emissions
Ford School faculty host and are featured in a variety of podcasts, covering policy topics from artificial intelligence, everyday economics, national security, and more.
My job has always been to demonstrate to...
Betsey Stevenson, Marketplace: “Men’s labor force participation has been growing, but women’s has been growing by just a tiny bit more,” noted Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the University of Michigan.
That’s been a happy surprise, she said,...
Ford School economist Betsey Stevenson has noted that in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic shattered labor markets, women’s participation had been at its highest level ever. Now as the U.S. economy rebuilds, she again is commenting on...
Ford School economist Betsey Stevenson’s analysis of the volatile U.S. economy is in high demand.
When the June jobs numbers were released at the beginning of July, Stevenson was quoted in the Associated Press.
AP reported, “Friday’s jobs...
Ford School economics professors Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers shared their “joyous” take on economics in a recent McKinsey Global Institute Forward Thinking podcast.
Here are some excerpts from their wide-ranging discussion:
Betsey...
Ford School economics professor Betsey Stevenson is widely tapped for her comprehensive knowledge of the state of the U.S. economy.
When the debt ceiling deal was reached between President Biden and the GOP in Congress, she told NPR that the...
Though the debt ceiling crisis was averted by a deal in Congress to raise the ceiling and cut some spending, Ford School economics professor Betsey Stevenson argues that there will be long-term costs for the U.S. economy.
In a guest column in The...
In the run-up to conclusion of the debt ceiling negotiations, Ford School economics professor Betsey Stevenson was widely sought out for her expertise on the implications of the crisis, as well as the various signals from the U.S. economy on...
Ford School experts share insights as the clock ticks down toward a U.S. government default—and whether a deal can keep a financial concern from devolving into a full-blown crisis.
They discuss where things stand with the debt-limit debate...
In April, U.S. total nonfarm employment rose by 253,000 jobs, which exceeded expectations as the economy continued to expand.. However, revisions to data from the past two months subtracted 149,000 jobs, which is indicative of a labor market that is...
Betsey Stevenson uses the tools of her trade to empower people and improve lives
By Daniel Rivkin
An early March ice storm in Michigan caused widespread power outages and disruptions for hundreds of thousands of households. Families had to...
Dominique Adams-Santos, Celeste Watkins-Hayes, and PhD candidate Kayonne Christy contributed a chapter, "Narratives in Context: Locating Racism and Sexism in Black Women's Health Experiences," to The Routledge Companion to...
Betsey Stevenson, CNN: "The policy is designed to make sure workers as well as companies benefit from this federal investment. Another way to think about it is that we really need government involved in child...
Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their monthly jobs report. Betsey Stevenson lent her expertise to numerous media outlets to break down what she saw.
"This report is just about as good as it can be. It's slowing slightly, and...
In March, employers added 236,000 jobs as the economy continued to expand. Job growth is slowing, with most job growth in the past month occurring in the sectors that have been the slowest to recover from the pandemic. The unemployment rate ticked...
University of Michigan faculty members Betsey Stevenson and Lilia Cortina were awarded the 2022 presidential awards for public engagement at a ceremony on April 3, 2023. The awards recognize the recipients’ demonstrated commitment to public service,...
Betsey Stevenson, CNBC: "What we've been seeing is a massive reallocation of workers. First, we expanded how much stuff we were buying, so the goods sector just did remarkably well early on in the pandemic. And it was the service sector that got...
Betsey Stevenson, States News Service: "I think that the important takeaway is that women can be an important source of labor for the construction industry. While child care is important for women, it is equally important to note that construction...
Betsey Stevenson, ABC Australia: "We had [Dodd Frank] regulations put in certain stress tests that banks needed to meet certain liquidity requirements, certain capitalization requirements, and those were for anybody with anything that's over $US50...
Betsey Stevenson, Bloomberg: "I think sticking with 25 basis points is hopefully going to be sending the signal that they (the Federal Reserve) really do believe that the situation is stabilizing. That they don't need to veer from their planned...
The collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) set off alarms in the financial sector, with flashbacks to the 2008 financial crisis and increased worries about an impending recession. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers, both professors of public...
The U.S. labor market grew by 311,000 jobs in February. Unemployment ticked up to 3.6%, while the number of employed expanded and the labor force participation rate also ticked up. Since October 2022, labor force participation has expanded slowly...
Betsey Stevenson, Bloomberg: "I think it's really hard to interpret the impact of the interest rate increases on the labor market. And the reason is that we would have to know the counterfactual—what would have happened in the labor market if we...
As the United States heads toward its debt-ceiling deadline, political leaders are posturing as they struggle to find a compromise to prevent default. In response, over 200 U.S. economists, including Professor Betsey Stevenson, sent a letter to...
Betsey Stevenson, NPR Marketplace: "This is one of those things where we all have rules of thumb, because they’re just easier to remember. So the first Friday of the month is way easier to remember than the actual...
Betsey Stevenson, The New Yorker: "People always hate inflation. Even when inflation was at historic lows, survey data showed that eighty-three percent of Americans thought inflation was a problem. The President has very few levers. And, in this...
Betsey Stevenson, The Wall Street Journal: "Since restaurants and hotels haven’t staffed up too much, they could avoid the fate of many tech companies that are laying off workers after overhiring earlier in the pandemic," said Betsey Stevenson, an...
Betsey Stevenson, NPR Marketplace: "Are employers trying to hire a bunch of phantoms — people who don’t exist? Are they just finding it too hard to find...
As the 118th Congress begins, Americans’ trust in Congress and government is at an all-time low. Economist Betsey Stevenson lends her expertise to members of Congress in a new article for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
First, Stevenson says,...
