Jessica Milli, Ph.D.

About Jessica Milli

Jessica Milli is a Study Director at IWPR and Scholar in Residence at American University. She oversees IWPR’s work on paid sick days, providing technical assistance to dozens of communities across the country exploring paid sick days policies. In addition, Jessica leads IWPR research projects on breastfeeding and women in patenting. Jessica has presented her work at events around the country and has testified before state and local legislative bodies on IWPR’s research. She has been interviewed in Bloomberg, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Marketplace, The Nation, TIME, ABC News, Fortune, and other national and regional outlets. Prior to joining IWPR, Jessica taught economics courses ranging from principles of microeconomics and economic statistics, to game theory and labor economics at several institutions including UW-Milwaukee, UW-Whitewater, and Randolph College. Jessica received her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During her studies, she applied her focus of Labor Economics to relationships within households and what economic factors put women at more risk of experiencing domestic violence. Her dissertation analyzed the complex relationship between domestic violence and various measures of women’s socioeconomic status, such as welfare receipt and employment.

Investing in Single Mothers’ Higher Education: Costs and Benefits to Individuals, Families, and Society

Postsecondary education is a reliable pathway to economic security and is increasingly important to securing family-sustaining employment. For single mother families, who make up a growing share of U.S. families, and who are especially likely to live in poverty, college attainment is a game changer for improving family well-being and meeting the demands of a changing economy.

Access to Paid Sick Time in Dallas, Texas

Approximately 41 percent of workers in Dallas lack paid sick time, and low-income and part-time workers are especially unlikely to be covered. Access to paid sick time promotes safe and healthy work environments by preventing the spread of illness.

Access to Paid Sick Time in San Antonio, Texas

This briefing paper presents estimates of access to paid sick time in San Antonio by sex, race and ethnicity, employment sector, occupation, part/full-time employment status, and earnings levels through analyses of government data sources, including the 2014–2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the 2016 American Community Survey (ACS).

Access to Paid Sick Time in Austin, Texas

This briefing paper presents estimates of access to paid sick time in Austin by sex, race and ethnicity, sector of employment, occupation, part/full-time employment status, and earnings levels through analyses of government data sources, including the 2013–2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the 2015 American Community Survey (ACS).

The Status of Black Women in the United States

This report aims to amplify the historical and current contributions of Black domestic workers to the broader domestic worker movement. Using available data, the report describes the experiences of millions of Black women across the United States, and offers recommendations where the opportunities for Black women can be realized.

By Asha DuMonthier, Chandra Childers and Jessica Milli|2020-08-26T12:05:39-05:00June 7, 2017|Executive Summary, Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Economy, Report, Status of Women|Comments Off on The Status of Black Women in the United States

The Economic Security of Older Women and Men in Hawaii

This briefing paper examines many aspects of the economic security of women and men aged 65 and older in Hawai`i, including their marital status, poverty, and various sources and amounts of income, with attention to disparities by gender and race/ethnicity.

By Emma Williams-Baron, Julie Anderson, Cynthia Hess, Ph.D. and Jessica Milli|2020-10-30T03:55:17-05:00May 24, 2017|IWPR|Comments Off on The Economic Security of Older Women and Men in Hawaii

The Economic Impact of Equal Pay by State

Persistent earnings inequality for working women translates into lower lifetime pay for women, less income for families, and higher rates of poverty across the United States. In each state in the country, women experience lower earnings and higher poverty rates than men.

Projected Year the Wage Gap Will Close by State

If the earnings of women and men who are employed full-time, year-round change at the rate they have between 1959 and 2015, the gender wage gap in the United States will not close until 2059.

By Julie Anderson, Jessica Milli and Melanie Kruvelis|2020-10-30T16:30:17-05:00March 22, 2017|IWPR|Comments Off on Projected Year the Wage Gap Will Close by State