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Research Expertise and Interest

economic policy, labor and employment

Research Description

Claire Montialoux's research interests include topics in labor economics, political economy, and economic history. She studies policies aimed at reducing deep-rooted inequalities in the labor market, with a particular focus on minimum wages and racial earnings gaps.

In the News

A $15 minimum wage would cost jobs, right? Probably not, economists say

Extensive research led by UC Berkeley economists and alumni has found that significant increases in the minimum wage have little, if any, impact on employers’ hiring decisions. In fact, the researchers say, a higher minimum wage can produce benefits not just for workers, but for their employers, their communities and the entire economy.

Featured in the Media

Please note: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or positions of UC Berkeley.
October 27, 2020

To Reduce Racial Inequality, Raise The Minimum Wage

The New York Times
Ellora Derenoncourt and Claire Montialoux
Two UC Berkeley economists, Ellora Derenoncourt and Claire Montialoux discuss a flurry of promises to combat systemic racism after a summer of protests over the killing of George Floyd, and argue that recent American history shows that raising and expanding the minimum wage could reduce the persistent earnings divide between white workers and Black, Hispanic and Native American workers. Though legislation to raise the wage floor would be a universal program in name and application, in practice it would be a remarkably effective tool for racial justice.
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