All Economy
Uber and under: Why gig workers struggle in pandemicAn estimated 16.4% of U.S. workers are unemployed as of May. Life for gig workers remains especially precarious amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥榃e鈥檝e sold thousands of bikes鈥�: The businesses surging at a tough timeIt鈥檚 not just Zoom and grocery stores. Other businesses have benefited from changing consumer demands.
First LookGlimmer of hope: US unemployment fell to 13.3% in MayThere are indicators that the U.S. economic decline is leveling out. Unemployment rates could remain in double-digits through November, experts say, but even hard-hit industries are showing signs of rebound as companies reopen and workers are rehired.
In Chicago鈥檚 Little Village, federal aid begins to flow. Is it enough?Slow in coming to minority firms, the聽government鈥檚聽Paycheck Protection Program is now offering a lifeline. But for some, it may not tide them over.
First LookUS unemployment rises to 39 million as states reopenThe latest U.S. unemployment number聽 increased by聽 2.4 million to 39 million.聽But some companies have begun to rehire a limited number of their laid-off employees.
Where鈥檚 the beef? Pandemic exposes cracks in US food system.Most Americans have grown accustomed to plentiful food. The pandemic has exposed shortcomings in a complex and often convoluted U.S. food system.聽
Another big job-loss wave looms: state and city workersA steep downturn in the private sector is poised to cause big job losses in state and local governments. Relief could come from Congress.
FocusAn impossible comeback? The small New York shops trying to survive.Even before the pandemic, many small-business owners in New York were operating on small margins. Now they鈥檙e facing tough decisions.
First LookU.S. auto industry reopens, sparking hope in job crisisAbout half of all auto workers are expected to return to factories next week, which have been shuttered since mid-March due to the pandemic. The cautious reopening sends optimism to other major industries weathering the job crisis.聽
First LookShould jobless renters be evicted or forgiven during pandemic?About 43 million households in the United States are renters and as jobless rates continue to spike many are either forgoing or unable to pay rent. But a rent strike will only exacerbate the housing affordability crisis, say economists.
First LookKeep working from home? How office-life will change after COVID.Businesses are considering new safety measures for communal workplaces, how to improve online collaborations, and if they need a physical location at all.
Is this crisis giving capitalism a moral nudge?Many corporations are boosting pay or health protections for workers in the pandemic 鈥� or are facing criticism if they don鈥檛.
Revive economy with virus-immune workers? Not so fast.The flurry of interest in antibody testing as a shortcut to reopening hard-hit cities like New York has given way to humility.聽
First LookRidesharing has plummeted. Can food delivery save Uber?Uber is cutting 14% of its workforce and offloading its bike and scooter business after losing $2.9 billion in the first quarter. But the company's meal delivery arm, Uber Eats, is seeing a surge in demand.聽
First LookDeceased taxpayers were sent relief checks. Should they be returned?The Trump administration and IRS are urging families to return coronavirus relief payments sent to the deceased, but legal experts say there is no law requiring them to do so.聽
First LookStocks rise despite 33 million US jobless claims from pandemicSince the outbreak of the new coronavirus pandemic, 33 million people in the United States have filed for unemployment, up 3 million from last week. Still, the U.S. stock market is bouncing back.
Focus鈥榃e鈥檙e open for them鈥�: The small shops in New York trying to stay afloatThe struggles of聽New York鈥檚 small-business community, which employs nearly half the city鈥檚 private workforce, point to broader economic challenges.
Rural America lags on fast internet. Now small co-ops are building it.The FCC says the digital divide is improving. But rural co-ops aren't waiting for the government: Their new task is high-speed internet service.
Inside a hotspot: Voices from the floor of a meat-packing plantMeat-packing plants have been hit hard by COVID-19. We take a look at the conditions workers face, and the challenges for the industry.
Will cruise industry recover? Some passengers yearn to reboard.Cruise lines face a perfect storm of problems. But there are loyal passengers pondering when to sail again, even as they look for assurance on safety.
