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The job market's still tight, and wages are still rising

Dec 2, 2022
Wages were 5.1% higher this November than last, and the unemployment rate stayed steady at 3.7%.
Wages went up again – 5.1% over last year, according to Friday's jobs report.

Why University of California's graduate workers are striking

Nov 16, 2022
Some 48,000 teaching assistants, tutors and researchers in the U of C system want higher pay and benefits that offset California's high cost of living. How did things get this way?
Mario Tama/Getty Images

When graduating into a recession actually makes you happier

Nov 11, 2022
Some research suggests the "scarring" experienced by young workers during a recession has a silver lining: happiness later in life.
While research suggests that graduating into a recession hampers future employment and wages, it can also bring about longer-term happiness.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Wage growth seems to be slowing. But is it enough to please Fed policymakers?

Nov 4, 2022
The central bank watches for signs of wage inflation because it can drive price inflation.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said wage gains have been “well above” the level needed to come down to Fed’s 2% inflation target.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

At a historic Buffalo, NY, inn, fair wages mean there's no such thing as a labor shortage

Nov 1, 2022
Joseph Lettieri, co-owner and operator of InnBuffalo off Elmwood, almost sold the hotel in 2020. Now, it's the busiest it's ever been.
InnBuffalo Off Elmwood co-owner Joseph Lettieri said business is the busiest it's ever been.
Courtesy Ellen Carlstrom

Despite economic turmoil, consumers keep on spending

Oct 14, 2022
Seemingly contradictory economic indicators make people nervous, but they're not sure what to do about them.
Even in the face of inflation, consumers feel like spending due to low unemployment numbers and rising wages.
Getty Images

Panel will set wages and conditions for 500,000 California fast food workers

Sep 5, 2022
The approach is rare in the U.S., but common in other industrialized countries.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the FAST Recovery Act on Labor Day.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

When governments fail to address community issues, who steps in?

Jul 6, 2022
In an excerpt from "The Fight to Save the Town," the author describes how residents get by in an Oregon county with a declining government.
A person in Detroit walks past the remains of the Packard Motor Car Co., which ceased production in the late 1950s.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Fed inflation fight could hinder wage gains for lowest-paid workers

Jun 27, 2022
It's all about reducing the demand for labor.
The Federal Reserve's efforts to deal with inflation could have ripple effects that reach workers in lower-wage jobs.
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The salary games some employers play

Jun 6, 2022
Withholding information about pay during the hiring process? In this economy?
Pay transparency laws aim to prevent pay discrimination. But some employers act like it’s inappropriate to even ask about pay. 
Joe Raedle/Getty Images