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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org
WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new report released today by NCLR, “Now Hiring? Latinos and the Job Creation Policies in the South Atlantic,” analyzes how state policies aimed at creating jobs in Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida have failed to produce significant employment gains for the region’s Hispanic workforce. Experts from the Migration Policy Institute, PolicyLink and the Hispanic Services Council of Tampa, Florida, joined NCLR on a telephonic press briefing to discuss policy solutions to maximize the potential of Latino workers and businesses.
“This research calls for significant policy adjustment at the state level to ensure that jobs in the fastest-growing industries are available to the fastest-growing segment of the South Atlantic workforce: Latinos,” said Alicia Criado, NCLR Policy Associate, Economic and Employment Policy Project, and author of the report. “Especially in this time of limited resources, policymakers must closely monitor the employment situation in their state and respond with customized solutions to meet the unique needs of the Latino workforce and business community.”
NCLR’s report found the following:
- Most Hispanic workers in the South Atlantic require additional education and skills training in order to meet the needs of employers.
- Significant public resources are spent on recruiting businesses to states that fail to invest adequately in adult education and job training programs.
- Hispanic-owned businesses lack the necessary technical support and training to ensure sustainability and expansion.
- The region’s wave of anti-immigrant legislation has hampered economic recovery.
NCLR’s research was based on an analysis of demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau and interviews with 35 stakeholders, from government officials to service providers. NCLR also convened local leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in Orlando in September to discuss the implications of the research for the region.
“Latinos must have a seat at the table to inform the job creation agenda at the state level. The South Atlantic economy simply won’t work without Latinos,” concluded Criado.
Download the full report to learn more about the effect of job creation policies on Hispanic workers.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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