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His life as a Chicago musician is starting to feel normal again

Nov 18, 2021
After more than a year and a half of working online, Seth Shulman is teaching lessons in person and back to a more regular show schedule.
People listen to music at a September festival in Brooklyn, New York.
Angela Weiss/Getty Images

What are small business owners thinking these days about paid family leave?

Nov 17, 2021
A new study suggests that some businesses owners may have become more open to the idea during the pandemic.
While offering paid family leave may be difficult for small businesses, it could be easier than hiring amid the labor shortage.
RichLegg via Getty Images

China's economy has slowed, but trade is still booming

Nov 15, 2021
The Biden-Xi summit will not focus on the economy, but China’s has shown both weakness and strength this year.
China isn't "growing at 10%, but they’re still growing faster than everyone else,” an expert says. The nation's share of global trade has expanded as well.
Emmanuel Wong via Getty Images

The future of work anywhere: gardens, stores and hotels

Nov 15, 2021
The more working at an office becomes a choice, the more workplaces could become a niche consumer product.
A garden "pod" office at Second Home Hollywood co-working space.
Meghan McCarty Carino/Marketplace

Native leaders raise economic issues at First Nations Summit

Nov 15, 2021
During the summit, tribal leaders drew attention to the lack of investment in the Indian Health Service.
President Joe Biden at the Tribal Nations Summit. In his opening remark, Biden noted the disproportionate toll COVID-19 has taken on Indigenous communities.
Alex Wong via Getty Images

How employer vaccine mandates are playing out in one tribal economy

Nov 12, 2021
During the pandemic, many tribal governments’ strict public health orders have clashed with the more relaxed approach of nearby communities.
A woman shows her arm after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, with the words "For the ♡ of Native People" drawn on. While Indigenous Americans are vaccinated at high rates, that's often not the case for communities surrounding reservations.
Karen Ducey via Getty Images

Why are people so glum about the economy?

Nov 12, 2021
Wages are up and unemployment is down. So why has consumer sentiment plunged to levels not seen in a decade?
The pandemic and inflation are weighing on consumers' moods, counteracting the abundance of jobs and the rise in incomes.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images

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Small LA retailers optimistic ahead of the year's biggest shopping season

Nov 12, 2021
Yes, there are shortages, and prices are up. But in these Los Angeles gift stores, shoppers are already shopping.
Shirts and hats are shown in a small retailer in Los Angeles before the 2020 holiday shopping season.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Uncertainty for businesses in legal tangle over federal vaccination rule

Nov 11, 2021
Some businesses are preparing to meet the rule that companies with 100 or more employees require vaccinations or weekly tests, despite the court challenge.
Even as legal battles continue regarding the federal vaccine mandate for businesses with more than 100 employees, businesses may need to make choices now. Above, a nurse prepares a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Wilmington California.
Mario Tama via Getty Images

Why one former ICU nurse quit his job: "I was having panic attacks"

Nov 11, 2021
Exploring the pandemic's toll on health care workers.
A nurse tends to a COVID-19 patient in a Connecticut ICU in April 2020. Understaffing and pandemic stressors have prompted many nurses to consider leaving the field.
John Moore via Getty Images