The $100 Billion Hidden Workforce

Happy Tuesday! A few quick updates before we dive in:

🕐 Office Hours: Join us this Friday (6/20) at 12 PM EST for salary advice and answers to all your career (and content) questions. Plus, grab a free handcrafted beverage at the Capital One Café on us*. Cheers! ☕

✈️ Chicago Tour Stop: We’re coming to Chicago on Saturday (6/21)! Keep an eye on our IG stories for our interview locations - we’d love to meet (and interview) you!

Now, let's talk about something that's been on our minds lately...the $100 billion workforce we pretend doesn't exist. ⬇️

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We can’t talk about work in America without talking about undocumented workers.

From construction and agriculture to hospitality and caregiving, they’re the backbone of several industries. These often critical and physically demanding jobs keep the US economy running, yet remain excluded from many basic workplace protections and benefits such as Social Security and Medicare.

In fact, many undocumented workers earn 42% less than U.S.-born and legally authorized workers, despite contributing nearly $100 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.

How much do undocumented workers make?

On average, undocumented workers make between $20,000 and $30,000 per year, often working multiple jobs to make ends meet. Here are some of the top industries they occupy:

🚜 Agriculture: $11-$17/hr (or $23K-$35K/yr)

Approximately half of all farmworkers lack legal work authorization. They're picking the strawberries in your smoothie and harvesting the lettuce in your salad.

🦺 Construction: $8-$10/hr (or $16K-$20K/yr)

Mass deportations would remove 1.5 million workers from the construction workforce, or roughly 30% of workers in construction trades, such as plasterers, roofers, and painters. Sounds like a recipe for disaster in the face of a housing crisis.

🍽️ Hospitality: $3-$9/hr (or $6K-$19K/yr)

Pull thousands of undocumented workers out of food service, hospitality, and nail salons, and you’re left with fewer open businesses, longer wait times, and higher prices.

The bottom line

America’s economy depends on undocumented workers to function. They're embedded in our food system, our construction industry, and our service economy. They pay taxes. They contribute to our communities.

Yet they work in fear, earn less, and face constant uncertainty. None of us would want to work under those conditions.

It’s time we show up for the people who already show up for us.

What's your take? Reply to this newsletter to share your two cents 💚

In case you missed it, we filmed an episode of our podcast, Two Cents, with a LIVE audience at the Capital One Cafe in New York City!

We debate whether engagement rings are a scam (spoiler: De Beers has been playing us since the 1930s), break down why luxury brands target the middle class, and share actionable tips to fight lifestyle creep without feeling miserable.

Plus, we react to a juicy, “Am I the A**hole?” story about splitting the rent and living within your means when one partner makes significantly more. Tune in to hear more!

• Want to break into tech? 💻 No need for a degree with our free guide.

• Is pay transparency legal in your state? 📍 Check our map here.

• 5 recession-proof side hustles ✂️ Flexible work that fits your schedule.

• Are you middle class? 🤔 The income you need in these 15 cities.

• Want job security? 🔒 The 20 most stable careers in an unpredictable economy.

Keep showing up for each other and for yourself. See you next week! 💚