ECONOMY

Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi Washington says "about 95% of everybody who left Vocational Village had a job before they left."

Former Inmates Are Getting Jobs As Employers Ignore Stigma In Bright Economy

5:14pm May 23, 2019

by Jasmine Garsd

People convicted of felonies often have difficulties getting hired. But many employers say they're suffering a labor shortage, and attitudes toward hiring people with criminal records are changing.

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Brittany Smith and her daughter at their home. The family has flourished in Charlotte. Two years ago, Smith and her husband bought a custom-built house and both found new work opportunities.

As Employment Rises, African American Transplants Ride Jobs Wave To The South

3:46pm May 23, 2019

by Daniella Cheslow

At a time of low unemployment for African Americans, educated, well-connected professionals are starting new lives in cities such as Charlotte, N.C.

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Izzie with her service dog, Zandra. Spinergy welcomed Zandra, who is able to retrieve things when Izzie drops them.

Many Are Replacing Disability Checks With Paychecks

10:15pm May 22, 2019

by Scott Horsley

The nation's disability rolls swelled during the Great Recession. But more disabled people are now finding work, and employers are more willing to make allowances, thanks to the tight job market.

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A lot of Iowa business owners in towns like Mount Pleasant are facing chronic labor shortages. One solution is to encourage more outsiders to come to the state, including immigrants.

With Workers Hard To Find, Immigration Crackdown Leaves Iowa Town In A Bind

7:03pm May 21, 2019

by Jim Zarroli

Business leaders worry that tough laws against undocumented workers will discourage legal immigrants from coming to the state to work. Iowa's low jobless rate has left businesses struggling to hire.

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Economy

Shoe Retailers Warn Trump That Proposed Tariffs Would Have 'Catastrophic' Effect

5:48pm May 21, 2019

by Alina Selyukh

Nike, Adidas and other shoe brands told President Trump that proposed tariffs China imports would have a "catastrophic" effect on Americans. This is the latest in the escalating trade war with China.

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A Look At How To Ride Out Stock Market Storms

4:49pm May 21, 2019

by Chris Arnold

Escalating trade wars and volatile markets cause some investors to make hasty decisions that can lead to financially damaging decisions. But there are ways to ride out stock market storms.

A passenger vessel traveling down the Yangtze River stops at a dock in downtown Chongqing, China.

'The Economy Is Slipping': China's Slowdown Hits Former Boomtown

1:29pm May 21, 2019

by Rob Schmitz

Car production is shrinking in China's Chongqing, and auto workers struggle to transition.

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Leitha Dollarhyde, a retired caregiver who lives in a rural town near Whitesburg, Ky., says she could not afford an unexpected $1,000 expense.

Poll: Many Rural Americans Struggle With Financial Insecurity, Access To Health Care

9:09am May 21, 2019

A new poll from NPR, Harvard and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gives a glimpse into rural life in America today, finding that many people living in rural communities live on the edge financially.

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The US (L) and Chinese flags are displayed outside a hotel in Beijing on May 14, 2019.

More Tariffs On China, More Head Scratching From Economists

6:30am May 21, 2019

by Greg Rosalsky

The evidence is clear: tariffs are a tax on consumers. At best they're "a really inefficient jobs-creation program," according to a leading scholar. Who wins in a trade war? If anyone, only bystanders

Courtney Hering, who is getting married next year, is planning a slightly more lavish wedding reception. After seven years at Kohler, she finally feels like she has found a professional home.

2-Tiered Wages Under Fire: Workers Challenge Unequal Pay For Equal Work

5:55am May 21, 2019

by Scott Horsley

For years after the Great Recession, employers were reluctant to boost wages. Now a tight labor market is giving workers the leverage they need to demand a larger slice of the nation's economic pie.

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