Low-wage workers seeing higher paychecks

Mar 9, 2018
The economy is strong, the labor market is tighter, and that’s giving all workers a bigger paycheck. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Survey finds few workers notice new take-home pay boost from tax cut

Mar 5, 2018
The boost in take-home pay from the Republican-passed tax-cut bill is starting to show up in many workers’ paychecks. But how aware are taxpayers of the change? Many employers began reducing tax withholding in February. But a new survey from Bankrate.com finds that many workers haven’t noticed the change, which may lead them to spend […]

In West Virginia, teachers get a victory

Mar 1, 2018
West Virginia teachers head back to the classroom Thursday morning after a four-day teacher’s strike culminated in a deal with the governor for a 5 percent pay increase. It’s being seen as a victory for teachers unions across the country. But is that true? Click the audio player above to hear the full story.

Enforcing minimum wage is harder than you think

Feb 23, 2018
Victims of wage theft have few options, a Politico investigative reporter says.
Workers celebrate outside the Ronald Reagan State Building in downtown Los Angeles on April 4, 2016, after California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that will raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Save more or owe more?

Feb 22, 2018
With wages and incomes up, more Americans say they are saving for a rainy day. But it might be wiser to use the money to pay down debt. Marketplace’s Aaron Schrank explains. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Wage pickup, a long time coming, leaves investors unhappy

The pace of wage growth increased in January, with average hourly earnings up 2.9 percent year-over-year, according to the Labor Department’s monthly Employment Report. But real, inflation-adjusted wages have been nearly stagnant for decades, rising just 7 percent for the median household over the past 40 years, according to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute. […]

For public good, not for profit.

Private sector wages and benefits are on the upswing, but economists caution celebrating

Jan 31, 2018
We are finally starting to see some signs that the tight labor market is pushing up wages. New numbers out today from the Department of Labor show wages and salaries in the private sector are up 2.8 percent from this time last year. That doesn’t leave too much extra cash for workers once you factor […]

Why Walmart's employees are getting a raise now

Jan 11, 2018
If you work at Walmart, you might be getting a raise. The retailer announced today it will raise entry-level wages to $11 an hour next month. The announcement came as the company stands to benefit from the changes to the tax code passed into law in late 2017. Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal spoke with Abigail […]
US President Donald Trump walks to Marine One prior to departing from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, January 5, 2018, as he travels for a weekend with Republican lawmakers at Camp David in Maryland.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images