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Slowing wage increases are good news for the Fed, but bad news for workers

Jun 7, 2023
Wages are falling fastest at the bottom of the income distribution.
Both wage growth and the number of job openings are slowing, according to jobsite Indeed.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

4 of 5 “prime age” people are in workforce, highest since 2001

May 29, 2023
The ratio covers people 25 to 54 years old. The strong participation means employers looking to hire may have a hard time finding workers.
With the labor market still hot, industries like hospitality and retail may struggle to attract workers unless they boost wages.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

As Title 42 ends, the strong U.S. economy is a major draw for migrants

May 11, 2023
Available jobs and better wages are helping shape the immigration patterns of people leaving their home countries for safer conditions.
Immigrants seeking asylum line up in Yuma, Arizona, on May 11. An increasing number of migrants are arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border as Title 42 expires.
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One route to avoiding layoffs? "If businesses accept lower profit margins," said Wells Fargo economist Sarah House.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

The FTC's proposed noncompete ban could be a boon for lower-wage workers

Jan 9, 2023
The Federal Trade Commission's proposed ban on noncompete agreements would affect many workers in sectors like fast food and retail, where these agreements can be a cheap way of retaining employees.
In sectors like fast food, noncompete agreements can function as cheap retention tools, said Andy Challenger of the staffing firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. 
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Crisis at Christmas: Strikes disrupt the U.K. during the festive season

Dec 29, 2022
During a wave of industrial unrest, triggered by the cost of living crisis, striking workers voice their discontent from the picket line.
Workers strike outside a mail-sorting office not far from London. The now-privatized Royal Mail service says it can't afford an inflation-matching pay hike.
Mimisse Beard

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

For public good, not for profit.

American workers are bummed out

Nov 15, 2022
A new survey by UKG's Workforce Institute finds half of American workers wouldn't recommend their job or their employer to their own kid. The same percentage would like to stop working if they could.
Some 45% of American workers "don’t want to work anymore, period," said Chris Mullen of the UKG Workforce Institute.
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What's with all the hiring?

Nov 2, 2022
Employers keep looking for workers to meet consumer demand, though there are signs the labor market may cool down.
"Most of what I hear from employers is that they're struggling to find talent," said Amber Clayton with the Society for Human Resource Management.
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Employers get creative with inflation compensation

Aug 18, 2022
From early bonuses to gas cards and free lunch, companies offer perks to retain employees while struggling to keep their costs down.
To help workers deal with high prices, some employers have given bonuses or moved up pay increases. Other approaches include gasoline stipends or additional paid time off.
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