All Economy
FocusAs society relies on gig workers, will they see a boost in stature?As new COVID-19 cases surpass 50,000 in a single day, people working for platforms like Instacart are among those most exposed to health risks.
Coronavirus effect? For some small farms, it鈥檚 sales. (video)As the coronavirus spread, threatening to disrupt food manufacturing plants, some shoppers looked locally for food. Small farms answered.
FocusWill America still go out to eat? One restaurateur鈥檚 moment of truth.For Jonathan Mendez, business hopes have downshifted from expansion to restaurant survival. His story reveals how anchors of urban life are at risk.
For migrant farmworkers, coronavirus adds new burdensThe U.S. relies on 2.4 million farmworkers to harvest everything from blueberries to lettuce. This year they confront extra risks tied to COVID-19.
Cover StoryRising inequality in a crisis: The view from BaltimoreHow the COVID-19 recession has exacerbated the income divide in America 鈥� and is contributing to rising social unrest.
Corporate America confronts racism. Why this time may be different.The George Floyd protests have been accompanied by corporate calls for racial justice. Companies face risks if those words aren't matched by deeds.
First Look'Truth hurts': Top brands reveal workforce racial makeupSome of the biggest companies pledging solidarity with the Black community struggled to recruit and promote minorities within their own ranks. Black employees account for 12% of the overall workforce, but only 8% of management jobs.
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