Today we talk to economist Dr. Laura Ullrich about the state of the U.S. economy, the evolving labor market, and how AI, policy, and inequality are reshaping work in real time. We dig into stagnant hiring, ghost jobs, healthcare-driven employment growth, the rise of a K-shaped economy, and why communication, leadership, and skilled trades may matter more than ever in the future of work.

Dr. Laura Ullrich is an economist and Director of Economic Research at Indeed’s Hiring Lab, where she leads North American labor market research. She previously served as an economics professor and Associate Dean at Winthrop University and spent over six years as an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. She earned her education at the University of Georgia and is a frequent media contributor on workforce and economic trends.