Podcast Summary: Marketplace Morning Report – "When workers are profiled, bullied, and harassed"

Date: February 19, 2026
Host: David Brancaccio
Guests: Kimberly Adams (Marketplace), Chi Mak (JPMorgan Chase Institute), Oded Shankar (Ohio State University), Julie Robbins (Earthquaker Devices), Maurice Romming (O'Neill Construction Group)

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the growing challenges faced by businesses and workers beyond just economics—highlighting how social tensions, specifically bigotry and harassment, are directly impacting employee well-being, staff retention, and business operations. The episode opens with economic reporting on tariffs and their consequences before moving to a candid discussion with Maurice Romming, a construction executive, about his employees experiencing profiling and harassment outside the workplace.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Economic Strains on Mid-sized Businesses Due to Tariffs

[01:20–03:21]

• Tariff Burdens – Marketplace's Kimberly Adams reports on new data from JPMorgan Chase Institute showing tariffs for mid-sized US businesses have nearly tripled since the Trump administration’s policy changes.
• Limited Flexibility – Mid-sized firms lack the supply chain agility of larger corporations, making them especially vulnerable to these added costs.
  • Quote [02:33]:
    "Smaller players typically have less wiggle room ... They often serve a single market."
    — Oded Shankar, Ohio State University
• Real-World Example: Julie Robbins, CEO of Earthquaker Devices, confirms a direct business impact:
  • Paid $80,000 in new tariffs since spring, expecting $200,000 for the year.
  • Already raised prices, anticipates additional hikes.

2. Who Pays the Tariff Costs?

[03:21–04:24]

• Conflicting Narratives:
  • A Federal Reserve Bank of New York study finds that nearly all tariff costs are passed on to American businesses and consumers—not absorbed by foreign suppliers as the Trump administration claims.
  • Kevin Hassett, White House economic adviser, disputes the study:
    • Quote [03:35]:
      "Worst paper I’ve ever seen ... the authors should be punished."
• Broader Impacts: Rising prices contribute to economic pressure on companies and families.

3. Workplace Harassment and Worker Retention: Construction Industry Case Study

[05:11–08:14]

• New Threat to Workforce Stability
  Maurice Romming, co-owner of O’Neill Construction Group (Portland, OR), describes how offsite bigotry and harassment are leading employees—specifically workers assumed to be immigrants—to reduce hours or quit.
  • Quote [05:40]:
    "We're seeing external kind of bullying, harassment off the job site that we can't control...We end up with workers that feel like they need to protect their family, and so they then in turn either opt out of work or reduce their hours."
• Examples of Harassment:
  • Workers get shouted at, harassed, or followed when driving company trucks or running errands.
  • Some employees report abuse and refuse to continue certain assignments or reduce their involvement for their family and personal safety.
    • Quote [06:09]:
      "If they're picking up material, if they're just driving with a company truck ... people are yelling stuff out the window."
• Business Impact:
  • Loss of skilled workers, inability to train replacements, shying away from specific contracts or locations due to risk.
    • Quote [07:34]:
      "You've had people come back from an assignment saying, listen, I'm getting abuse and I don't like it and it's not worth it."
      — David Brancaccio
      "Yeah, we're having that..."
      — Maurice Romming
• HR Limitations:
  • No established HR recourse for harassment that happens in public, not at work. The company is left to "console, comfort, and move on."
    • Quote [06:42]:
      "There is not necessarily an HR thing that we could potentially be doing there. It's like, okay, how do we just consult comfort and move on?"
      — Maurice Romming

4. Personal Safety & Societal Impact

• Workers are U.S. citizens or documented employees but are being stereotyped based on perceived identity.
• Brancaccio’s closing thoughts underscore the societal cost:
  • Quote [08:17]:
    "Disappointing is the word that came out when I was on the line with Mr. Romming. I feel 'despicable' is a better word for the behavior described."
    — David Brancaccio

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• “We end up with workers that feel like they need to protect their family, and so they then in turn either opt out of work or reduce their hours.”
  — Maurice Romming [05:40]
• "If they're picking up material, if they're just driving with a company truck ... people are yelling stuff out the window."
  — Maurice Romming [06:09]
• "Disappointing is the word ... I feel 'despicable' is a better word for the behavior described."
  — David Brancaccio [08:17]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Tariffs & Business Impact: 01:20–03:21
• Who Pays For Tariffs: 03:21–04:24
• Construction Worker Harassment & Retention: 05:11–08:14
• Summary & Host's Reflections: 08:17

Overall Tone & Language

The episode maintains a direct, journalistic tone, occasionally turning more personal and somber as Brancaccio discusses the real-world effects on workers and businesses. The language remains factual and empathetic, especially when covering the human consequences of societal bigotry and economic policy.

For Listeners Who Missed This Episode

This segment provides a revealing look at how larger social issues—like public harassment and profiling—are colliding with business operations and economic pressures, impacting not just bottom lines, but people’s lives and safety. It's a timely exploration of how workplace and societal dynamics interconnect, urging listeners to recognize the real costs of discrimination in America today.