Workers simply don't earn enough money to keep up with skyrocketing rental rates across the country, the National Low Income Housing Coalition found in its latest Out of Reach report.
A juicy prime rib. A glossy art book. A few days off work without worrying about bills. These are the unreachable desires of some of America's workers earning just above minimum wage.
The former union leader will head the Labor Department at a time when the pandemic has left millions unemployed and raised concerns about workplace safety.
Democrats passed the $1.9 trillion bill on a party-line vote, and Republicans do not appear ready to compromise on infrastructure, voting rights, the minimum wage, immigration or much else.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The budget process allows the party in control in Congress to pass most big-dollar legislation without having to worry about a filibuster. But the process can be risky.
More than half of workers surveyed said they were reluctant to enforce COVID-19 safety measures with customers from whom they would receive tips, according to the One Fair Wage study.
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.
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.