Jumping ship has become the only viable financial life raft for workers. In 2026, worker mobility is not just a career choice; it is the only real inflation hedge left.
According to the latest labor market report, average hourly earnings have increased by 3% over the past 12 months. This is not keeping pace with the annual inflation rate of 3.7%.
One silver lining is that workers who change jobs fare significantly better. The pay increase associated with a job switch has reached its highest level in three years, according to a recent Bank of America report, which notes that job switchers experienced a 15% pay increase — far better than the 3.5% average bump workers have received.
As advances in artificial intelligence continue to change the work environment, adaptability and flexibility will become more important. Workers in today’s economy need the flexibility to change jobs, but needless red tape often gets in the way.
Social workers, for example, are in high demand nationwide. Yet when a social worker wants to move to a new state, he or she encounters needless barriers.
The same is true for many high-demand fields, such as the skilled trades, dental hygiene and radiation therapy. All these positions require occupational licensing, which often, inexplicably, means that someone’s education and training lose all relevance after moving to another state.
Economic research confirms that occupational licensing reduces worker mobility, perhaps by as much as 7%.
Continue reading at The Washington Times.
Read the State Occupational Licensing Index here.
Edward Timmons, PhD, is Vice President of Policy at the Archbridge Institute. He leads the institute's economic policy strategy, identifying focus areas and disseminating work to key stakeholders and policymakers. His own research focuses on labor economics and regulatory policy; he is regularly asked to provide expert testimony to U.S. states on occupational licensing reform and the practice authority of nurse practitioners. Dr. Timmons received his Ph.D. in economics from Lehigh University and his B.A. in economics and actuarial science from Lebanon Valley College. He publishes a weekly newsletter on Substack with the latest research and policy insights surrounding occupational licensing.
Economics of Flourishing
Jumping ship has become the only viable financial life raft for workers. In 2026, worker mobility is not just a career choice; it is the only real inflation hedge left.
According to the latest labor market report, average hourly earnings have increased by 3% over the past 12 months. This is not keeping pace with the annual inflation rate of 3.7%.
One silver lining is that workers who change jobs fare significantly better. The pay increase associated with a job switch has reached its highest level in three years, according to a recent Bank of America report, which notes that job switchers experienced a 15% pay increase — far better than the 3.5% average bump workers have received.
As advances in artificial intelligence continue to change the work environment, adaptability and flexibility will become more important. Workers in today’s economy need the flexibility to change jobs, but needless red tape often gets in the way.
Social workers, for example, are in high demand nationwide. Yet when a social worker wants to move to a new state, he or she encounters needless barriers.
The same is true for many high-demand fields, such as the skilled trades, dental hygiene and radiation therapy. All these positions require occupational licensing, which often, inexplicably, means that someone’s education and training lose all relevance after moving to another state.
Economic research confirms that occupational licensing reduces worker mobility, perhaps by as much as 7%.
Continue reading at The Washington Times.
Read the State Occupational Licensing Index here.
Edward Timmons
Edward Timmons, PhD, is Vice President of Policy at the Archbridge Institute. He leads the institute's economic policy strategy, identifying focus areas and disseminating work to key stakeholders and policymakers. His own research focuses on labor economics and regulatory policy; he is regularly asked to provide expert testimony to U.S. states on occupational licensing reform and the practice authority of nurse practitioners. Dr. Timmons received his Ph.D. in economics from Lehigh University and his B.A. in economics and actuarial science from Lebanon Valley College. He publishes a weekly newsletter on Substack with the latest research and policy insights surrounding occupational licensing.
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