At The Mercy Of An App: Workers Feel The Instacart Squeeze The grocery-delivery app faces a new wave of discontent. Working for an algorithm means tweaks can upend a livelihood — and being a faster, nicer, more experienced worker doesn't guarantee better pay. Alina Selyukh
McDonald's Not Responsible For How Franchisees Treat Workers, U.S. Agency Rules The federal labor law board held that McDonald's should not be held liable for labor practices of its franchisees. The ruling directed a judge to approve a settlement in a years-long union case. Alina Selyukh
Raising The Minimum Wage By $1 May Prevent Thousands Of Suicides, Study Shows Paying minimum wage workers $1 more per hour might save lives, according to new research. The increases appear to have the largest effect when unemployment is high. Graison Dangor
Minimum Wage Hikes Fuel Higher Pay Growth For Those At The Bottom Wages rose faster for low-income workers than for any other group in 2019. The gains are partly explained by the tight labor market. But increases in minimum wages also contributed to the gains. Scott Horsley Play AudioListen 4 mins
Power Of The Petition: Nonprofit Helps Front-Line Workers Fight For Their Rights Eight out of every nine American workers don't have a union to represent them in workplace disputes. A nonprofit website is helping push for better wages and working conditions amid the pandemic. Ashish Valentine Play AudioListen 4 mins
Florida Just Passed A $15 Minimum Wage. Is The Time Right For A Big Nationwide Hike? Florida became the eighth state and the first in the South to adopt a $15 minimum wage. Replicating this in other states and on the federal level remains a challenge. Andrea Hsu
Senate Says No To $15 Minimum Wage For Now, But Democrats Vow To Push On Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 remains a priority of President Biden and Democrats after the Senate approved an amendment prohibiting a wage increase during the pandemic. Sam Gringlas Audie Cornish Andrea Hsu Play AudioListen 9 mins
$15 Minimum Wage Would Reduce Poverty But Cost Jobs, CBO Says Raising the federal minimum to $15 an hour by 2025 would boost pay for at least 17 million people and cut 1.4 million jobs, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Alina Selyukh
What McDonald's Shows About The Minimum Wage McDonald's is one of the nation's largest employers of low-wage workers. And because it's everywhere, it's a great place to test the effects of minimum wage laws. Greg Rosalsky
Costco To Raise Minimum Wage To $16 An Hour: 'This Isn't Altruism' Next week's pay increase would put Costco ahead of much of the industry. CEO W. Craig Jelinek said higher pay reduces turnover and boosts productivity. Alina Selyukh
