U.S. wages, benefits jump as economy reopens
The figures suggest that as the economy rapidly reopens, businesses are already providing higher pay and benefits to pull workers back into the job market.
Wages
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Better-than-expected Indiana outlook brings calls for bigger education boost
Indiana educators on Thursday called for a bigger school funding boost to help improve the state’s lagging teacher pay, as new projections showed state tax collections are expected to bounce back stronger than expected from the pandemic recession.
Equal pay bill passed by House, but faces long odds in Senate
The bill would make it easier to sue employers over pay discrimination, curb the ability of companies to retaliate and include a requirement that businesses submit detailed pay data to the federal government for use in policing pay discrimination laws.
Lawsuit targets pay practices at Olive Garden’s parent
Darden Restaurants employs more than 167,000 hourly workers at 1,800 restaurants. In addition to the Olive Garden chain, it owns Longhorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House and The Capital Grille.
Democratic leaders explore penalties on businesses paying below $15 an hour
Democrats are searching for a way to revive their derailed drive to boost the minimum wage as part of the proposed $1.9 trillion package aimed at helping the country rebuild from the pandemic.
Costco to raise starting hourly wage to $16, end hazard pay
The starting wage scale puts Costco above competitors, including Amazon, Target and Best Buy, which have $15 minimum wages.
Activists fear Biden’s commitment to higher minimum wage
The president has seemingly undermined the push to raise the minimum wage by acknowledging its dim prospects in Congress, where it faces political opposition and procedural hurdles.
New report outlines challenges, solutions for Indiana’s economy
The Brookings Institution report, “Indiana GPS: Strategies for Resilience,” identifies job growth, wages and technology as areas for improvement in the state’s economy.
Minimum wage hike to $15 by 2025 would result in 1.4M unemployed, CBO says
The report comes as senior Democrats debate whether to include raising the federal minimum wage in a budget resolution that is largely designed to help the sputtering economic recovery.
U.S. employment costs rose modestly in fourth quarter
Wages and benefits for U.S. workers rose in the last quarter of the year, putting all of 2020 in somewhat of a normal range as the pandemic continued to rankle the economy.
Push for Indiana minimum wage increase likely stalled again
A Democratic-backed proposal that would unlink Indiana from the current federal minimum wage that’s remained at $7.25 an hour since 2009 is unlikely to get traction in the General Assembly.
City government workers not as diverse as residents they serve
Indianapolis city-county government has work to do recruiting and retaining more minority employees—particularly Hispanic workers—if its staff is going to reflect the population it works for.
Hotels at Pan Am Plaza to create 600 jobs paying at least $14 an hour
The project, which includes plans for a $125 million expansion of the Indiana Convention Center, would also create 2,500 construction jobs before completion in 2025.
Amazon to hire 100,000 in U.S., raise pay by $2 per hour to keep up with demand
Raises will go to workers at Amazon’s warehouses, delivery centers and Whole Foods grocery stores, all of whom make at least $15 an hour.
U.S. household income hits 1999 peak; poverty rate lowest since 2001
Government figures show that after more than a decade of economic growth—the longest expansion on record—Americans are finally earning what they did two decades ago once inflation is taken into account.
Hiking minimum wage would help millions, but cost up to 3.7M jobs, report says
Gradually raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour would boost pay for as many as 27 million workers, but it could also cost as many as 3.7 million jobs by 2025, according to a report released Monday from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Born into similar finances, black and white children earn differing incomes as adults
White adults in Indianapolis on average outearn black adults whether both groups were born to poor, middle class or wealthy parents.
Amazon warehouse workers lose bonuses, stock awards as they get raises
The online retailer upped its minimum wage to $15 and raised other warehouse wages by $1 per hour, but employees learned Wednesday that there’s a tradeoff.
Amazon pay hike raises stakes for competitors in central Indiana
The retail behemoth will begin paying a minimum wage of $15 per hour in November, but local non-Amazon employers say they have strategies of their own for attracting and retaining workers.
U.S. added 200K jobs in January as pay rose most in 8 years
The pay gains suggest that employers are increasingly competing for a limited pool of workers. Raises stemming from minimum wage increases in 18 states also likely boosted pay last month.