Public Impact

On March 8th 2025, the Climate Jobs Institute (CJI) co-hosted a panel on “The Importance of Developing a Climate-resilient Energy Grid” at the 2025 SOMOS INC Albany Conference.

Researchers from the Worker Institute and the Buffalo Co-Lab presented research findings on the racially disproportionate impact of austerity measures on the state mental health workforce.

On Saturday, March 8th, CJI will co-host a panel discussion at the 2025 SOMOS Inc New York Conference. The panel, titled “Planning for our Future: The Importance of Developing a Climate-Resilient Energy Grid,” aligns with the conference’s broader theme, “Justice in Action.”

Melissa Shetler, Assistant Director of Labor Outreach and Workforce Equity at the Institute, participated in the panel “How Communities of Color Will Shape the Future of Technology, Energy, and Design,” during the annual Legislative Conference organized by the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislators.

At New York state’s annual DREAM symposium, the Yang-Tan Institute (YTI) delivered over a dozen breakout sessions that reflected the broad expertise of the institute. The institute also assisted with developing and producing the event.

Social Security overpayments are often very costly, and they can be complex to address. Experts at the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability have prepared this fact sheet on how to navigate the issue if it happens to you.

A new policy brief from the Yang-Tan Institute makes six recommendations for policy changes to improve employment outcomes for formerly incarcerated young adults with disabilities in New York state.

The day-long Sept. 27 meeting in King-Shaw Hall at ILR drew state legislative staffers and representatives of the governor’s office and the state Department of Labor. It included presentations from ILR Outreach faculty based in New York City, Ithaca and Buffalo.

Edwin “Ed” Baum ’81 and his wife, Holly Wallace, are supporting the New York City High Road initiative by funding stipends, subsidizing housing and providing robust program support.

The second year of High Road NYC ended in late July. Final presentations from 24 fellows brought together their mentors, colleagues, community members, and just about anyone who had made it yet another fruitful summer for the ILR students.

The New York City High Road Fellows are lucky. People show up for them in every direction–a testament to the ILR community, the organizations they’re working with, and, it seems, humankind in general.

In this explainer, Buffalo Co-lab's Steve Peraza breaks down the child care crisis in New York State and offers an innovative solution.

What do you get when you combine experts in the disability field at the Yang-Tan Institute with vocational rehabilitation counselors in New York state?

Researchers at the Yang-Tan Institute have identified “predictors of success” for high schoolers with autism. These experiences correlate with success in postsecondary education, employment and independent living.

Following last year’s successful pilot, the High Road New York City (NYC) program kicked off its second summer on June 3 at Cornell ILR’s NYC Office.

Matt Saleh, Timothy McNutt and Alex Herazy from ILR's Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative examine the payment of sub-minimum wages to prisoners in New York State and beyond.

A virtual discussion on 5/24 from 12-1:30pm to present updates to the Digital Equity Portal and discuss policies, strategic planning efforts and community-based initiatives to identify and close gaps in connectivity across New York state.

The ILR Buffalo Co-Lab's march report, The Status of Child Care in New York State, was the cornerstone of the Cornell Office of Community Relations’ ninth Regional Town-Gown Conference held April 9 at the Hotel Ithaca.

The Climate Jobs Institute launches a publicly available tool on IRA manufacturing investments in New York State to understand investment impacts on local jobs.

The Climate Jobs Institute launches tools on joint labor-management apprenticeship training centers in New York, aiming to provide information on training infrastructure throughout the state that can help power the clean energy economy.

A new certificate being offered by eCornell, in conjunction with the ILR School’s Climate Job Institute, will delve into the critical intersection of climate change, labor and equity, exploring the far-reaching implications of a warming planet on workers, communities and the broader economy.

Cornell ILR's Climate Jobs Institute holds Generating Equity: Pathways to Union Careers in Clean Energy conference in Albany, NY, on March 1-2, 2024.

Cornell ILRs Center for Applied Research on Work (CAROW) kicked off a new webinar series with the Climate Jobs Institute, "The Future of Offshore Wind in New York State: What Will It Take to Build a Large, Vibrant and Equitable Industry?" on February 13, 2024.

On March 8, the ILR Buffalo Co-Lab released “The Status of Child Care Across New York State;” marking the third phase in an action research project on the true cost of child care.

Representatives from both the NY State legislative and executive branches gathered on the ILR campus on Thursday morning to officially launch the New York at Work annual report.

Convening one final time to reflect on their High Road experience, the fellows were joined by those who made the pilot NYC fellowship possible - program sponsors, work colleagues, ILR staff, Friday speakers, alumni, and even the city itself. 

The fellows are deep into their summer work. Things are confusing, and they’re often left with more questions than answers, but there is an understanding forming that their experiences are shaping something.

NYC High Roads Fellows sit down with Ligia Guallpa and Antonio Solis of Los Deliveristas Unidos, a group working toward giving app delivery workers access to basic labor rights. The following week they met with Dr. Teofilo Reyes, chief program officer at Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC).

The original High Road Fellowship has been a longstanding program operating out of Buffalo. Although the lofty ambitions of the NYC pilot program may feel like flying the plane while building it, the exceptional people behind the experiment have pulled it together. 

Five ILR students led grassroots community projects, thanks to funding from Cornell’s student-run Community Partnership Funding Board.

To explore current patterns of unpaid caregiving and its impact on New Yorkers’ paid employment, the Worker Institute has published a policy brief sharing relevant findings from the 2022 Empire State Poll, carried out by the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR).

Increasing the Tompkins County minimum wage of $16.61 to a living wage would increase earnings for thousands of workers and reduce racial and gender disparities, according to a new Ithaca Co-Lab report.

The institute is a critical partner in New York’s nation-leading effort to address climate change, Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said.

The High Road Fellowship is one of the most successful, competitive and longest-running engaged-learning programs at Cornell University. So, what makes someone an ideal candidate for the High Road Fellowship?

Join Cornell ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute on January 11th for a webinar on the IRA and building a clean energy workforce.

The “Good Jobs for All?” summit focused on barriers faced by workers in Ithaca, where ILR faculty, students and community members have been investigating joblessness, wage inequality and related issues.

Please join us for the launch of Cornell ILR’s new Climate Jobs Institute on Wednesday, January 25, 5-8 PM ET in New York City.

State labor commissioners will discuss the report with Ariel Avgar, senior associate dean for Outreach and sponsored research.

Research-based data and policy analysis on a range of issues impacting New York’s workers, unions and employers are the focus of the ILR School’s second annual Labor Day report.