Amy M. Traub

@amymtraub.bsky.social

1127 Followers 570 Following

Research for a more just and equitable economy. Currently focused on unemployment insurance policy.

A photo of a page of a print newspaper with the words: Safety Risk - Manhattan: How can any New Yorker feel safe when
Support nurses Manhattan: I experienced the importance of safe staffing for nurses when a high-risk pregnancy landed me on hospital bedrest at what is now Mount Sinai West Hospital (formerly Roosevelt Hospital). Living in the maternity ward for more than two months and later visiting my fragile baby in the neonatal unit, my son and I flourished due to the excellent care provided by front-line nurses. They deserve safe staffing, quality health benefits, protection from workplace violence, and the other key demands that have led them to strike. It’s unconscionable that Mount Sinai has unlawfully disciplined nurses for speaking out for safety — as well as threatening and firing other nurses in the leadup to the strike. Hospital management at Mount Sinai, Montefiore and NewYork-Presbyterian must immediately stop union-busting, cease using patient care as a bargaining chip and agree to a fair contract now. Amy M. Traub
Black and white drawing of a pigeon wearing a Statue of Liberty crown. The words “Nov 15 Neighborhood Day of Action” are written on the pigeon’s body. In the pigeon’s mouth is a banner with the words “Hands off NYC ICE and troops out.” Written on the side of the poster: This is a grassroots effort led by your neighbors. Come learn how we can keep each other safe. Inwood Indivisible. Saturday Nov. 15 2025 2pm to 4pm at Broadway and Dyckman
A broken metal hand cart on a wood floor. One wheel has come off and is sitting next to the cart. The metal siding is broken and plastic covering the handle has come away.
Signs and flowers on a fence next to a green hedge. Two of the largest signs say “New Yorkers for Immigrant Justice”
Crowd assembled for the Good Trouble march at Foley Sq in New York City. Many people are wearing white and someone is holding a large American flag.
Close up of a child holding an American flag and a sign that says “I learned in school: The president is NOT a king!”
A rainbow in the sky above a city street. Specifically it is the corner of Broadway and Sherman Ave in Upper Manhattan, New York City
Two charts from the Unemployed Worker Study titled UI benefits are often inadequate--especially in low-paying states. The first graph shows that the percentage of survey respondents saying benefits are inadequate correlates to a state's average weekly UI benefit as a percentage of average weekly wages. They second chart shows that 25% of UI applicants reported that benefits were inadequate in the least generous and second least generous states in terms of replacing workers' prior wages with UI benefits. For the third tier of states 13% of workers said benefits were inadequate and in the quarter of states that replaces the highest share of workers prior wages, 11% of UI recipients reported that benefits were inadequate.
A chart from the Unemployed Worker Study compares 15 different unemployment insurance application issues during the COVID-19 pandemic economic downturn (2020-2021) and after the pandemic downturn (2022-2024). The chart shows that Even after the pandemic unemployment surge ended, UI applicants still reported delayed eligibility decisions (22%), difficulty with UI websites (20%), and trouble reaching UI agencies by phone (21%) among other barriers to access.
Chart from the Unemployed Worker Study titled "Unemployment Insurance (UI) Recipients Experience Less Material Hardship." Bar chart shows that 33% of UI recipients experienced hunger compared to 51% who applied for UI benefits but did not receive them. 29% of UI recipients had difficulty paying rent or mortgage compared to 40% who applied for UI benefits but did not receive them. 30% of UI recipients had difficulty paying for medical costs compared to 37% who applied for UI benefits but did not receive them. Survey weights applied.
A young man in a warm coat stands on an urban street corner next to a Starbucks sign. Street signs indicate that it is the corner of Broadway and Dyckman St. The young man is holding out flyers in support of striking Starbucks workers.
Webinar: Fighting for good jobs with unemployment insurance for striking workers. Please join us on Wednesday December 4 at 1pm ET bit.ly/UI-StrikingWorkers
Webinar: Fighting for good jobs with unemployment insurance for striking workers. Please join us on Wednesday December 4 at 1pm ET. Sign up at bit.ly/UI-StrikingWorkers
The little red lighthouse is next to the Hudson River under the George Washington Bridge.