Government Information

http://www.coopercenter.org/sites/default/files/publications/VirginiaPovertyMeasure_May2013.pdf

Reports the results of research to develop a new poverty measure that better reflects the  true economic circumstances of low-income Virginians.  The VPM claims to be an improvement over the official U.S. poverty measure by accounting for regional cost differences, family resources from in-kind government transfers, necessary medical expenses, and  other factors.  From the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia

http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2013/04/art2full.pdf

Finds that union workers receive larger wage increases, earn higher wages, and have greater access to employer-sponsored benefits, and that these trends persist despite declining union membership.   From the Bureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/acs-21.pdf

Reports that the birth rate for unmarried women was 80% higher in 2007 than in 1980.  Provides statistics on the number and prevalence of births to unmarried women and such characteristics as household income and education attainment.  Provides national and state level data.  From the Census Bureau.

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/data/ssi-2010/index.html

Data files on the demographic and program characteristics of recipients of the federal program that guarantees minimum income to the aged, blind, and disabled.   From the Social Security Administration

http://www.dol.gov/equalpay/equalpay-employee.pdf

Argues that equal pay for women is a family issue in an era when women support family income.  Offers a brief primer on equal pay rights and what to do if you experience pay discrimination.  From the Women’s Bureau of the Labor Department

http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpswp2011.pdf

Reports that 10.4 million individuals were among the “working poor” in 2011, little changed from 2010.   These are people who spent at least 27 weeks in the labor force but whose incomes fell below the poverty level.  Also provides statistics on the demographic characteristics, educational attainment, and occupation of the working poor.  From the Bureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32748.pdf

Describes what the TANF block grant program is, what it offers, what restrictions are connected to it such as the work requirements and time limits, and state accountability requirements.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

http://ledextract.ces.census.gov/static/data.html

Interactive tool that allows user to extract data from the Quarterly Workforce Indicators  including measures of employment, turnover, hiring, job creation, job desctruction, and average monthly earnings for states, counties, MSAs, and workforce investment areas.  From the Census Bureau