Economy

U.S. Economy Added 215,000 Jobs, Unemployment Rose To 5 Percent In March

6:55pm April 01, 2016

by Chris Arnold

March was another month of solid hiring for U.S. employers with payrolls increasing by 215,000. The unemployment rate actually ticked up a notch last month, but that was because all the hiring drew people off of the sidelines and back into the workforce. When that happens the unemployment rate can go up because there are more people looking for work.

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California, New York To Raise Minimum Wages To $15 An Hour

6:47pm April 01, 2016

by Hansi Lo Wang

California and New York are set to become the first two states in the country to raise minimum wages to $15 an hour. The hike has already started to take place in some cities. But it's not clear how increases at the state level would impact jobs and the rest of the economy.

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Economy

Puerto Rico Credit Union Builds Confidence With A New Headquarters

6:35pm April 01, 2016

by Robert Smith

As Puerto Rico faces a debt crisis, the island's banking institutions are trying to keep their customers calm. One great trick: making your building look solid.

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The drivers for Metro Africa Xpress get a good salary — and a cool uniform. People say the outfits make the drivers look like "RoboCop on the street."

Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Lack Of Address Will Stop These Deliverymen

6:34pm April 01, 2016

by Malaka Gharib

Lots of houses in Nigeria have no numbers, so deliveries are often late. But two techies have devised a solution. And they're creating new jobs in the process.

Economy

Report Shows Raleigh, Wilmington As State's Fastest Growing Cities

5:36pm April 01, 2016

by Keri Brown

Data from the U.S. Census shows most of the nation's fastest growing metro areas are retirement destinations in the Sun Belt. That's according to a new report from Governing Magazine.

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Civilian labor force participation rate, March 2007-2016.

Minimum And Overall Wages Are Rising, Luring Workers Back

4:48pm April 01, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

For workers who want a raise, this was an encouraging week, with minimum-wage legislation gaining momentum and employers paying more across the board.

March Jobs Report Highlights Rise In Non-Traditional Employment

4:23pm April 01, 2016

A rapidly growing number of people in the U.S. work in non-traditional jobs. Uber represents one segment of these people, but a much larger share are temporary employees, freelancers, and contractors who work as janitors, cafeteria workers, payroll officers and more. NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Princeton economist Alan Krueger about his research into alternative work arrangements.

One Year On, Seattle Explores Impact Of $15 Minimum Wage Law

4:23pm April 01, 2016

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with University of Washington Professor Jacob Vigdor about the state of the minimum wage in Seattle, as California and New York move to lift their minimum wages to $15.

Customers lined up at a Tesla store on Thursday to put in down payments for the new Tesla Model 3 in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Tysons Corner, Va.

A Tesla For The Masses? Orders For Model 3 Top 100K In First Hours

1:41pm April 01, 2016

by Sonari Glinton

Before the Model 3 was even unveiled, people lined up at Tesla stores to put down a deposit. With a base price of $35,000, the car will go on sale late next year at the earliest.

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Job seekers fill out applications inside the employment center at the Six Flags Entertainment Corp. Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson, N.J., in March.

U.S. Economy Added 215,000 Jobs In March; Unemployment Rate Rose To 5 Percent

10:56am April 01, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The 0.1 percentage-point rise in unemployment was driven by some good news: More people who have been out of work started looking for a job again.