Overview
The labor markets continue to offer a rich source of research topics. In 2004, two issues were of particular interest to New York business economists. The first, which received wide media attention, centered on the lack of job growth in the current U.S. recovery. The second concerned the disparity in job growth between the United States and Canada--namely, while the United States was struggling to create jobs, Canada was creating them at a fast clip. This conference will focus on the relatively overlooked second issue by engaging key Canadian and U.S. economists to explore the reasons for the lack of job growth in the United States, to contrast the U.S. experience with that of Canada, and to offer potential lessons from these experiences.

The Weak Jobs Recovery: Whatever Happened to the Great American Jobs Machine?

Speakers:
Richard B. Freeman (Harvard University and NBER)
William M. Rodgers III (Rutgers University and National Poverty Center)

Discussant:
Lars Osberg (Dalhousie University)

Are Good Jobs Disappearing in Canada?

Speakers:
René Morissette (Statistics Canada)
Anick Johnson (Statistics Canada)

Discussant:
Erica L. Groshen (Federal Reserve Bank of New York)

The Recession of 2001 and Unemployment Insurance Financing

Speaker:
Wayne Vroman (Urban Institute)

Discussant:
Timothy C. Sargent (Finance Canada)

Conference Location
The Canadian Consulate General in New York
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY

Conference Organizers
Erica L. Groshen, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Zahir Lalani, Bank of Canada
David Murchison, Canadian Consulate General

Contact
Please address any questions to:
Erica L. Groshen
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Domestic Research
33 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10045
Erica.Groshen@ny.frb.org