WORKERS

NPR -   Minimum-wage workers in 21 states will see a bigger paycheck come the new year. They're among the many thousands of laws changing as a new year begins. Those wage increases will impact an estimated 9.2 million workers and raise pay by a total of $5.7 billion, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank that publishes economic research and examined the expected 2025 wage increases. An additional 48 cities and counties will raise their minimum wages above their state wage floors starting Tuesday...

With these continued increases, EPI found that 19 states and Washington, D.C., will have at least a $15 minimum wage by 2027.

Meanwhile the federal minimum wage of $7.25 has not increased in 15 years and the spending power of one dollar is not what it used to be — putting workers in a tough spot as prices for groceries and housing have risen over time.

Newsweek -  Jobless claims have hit their lowest level since March, reflecting a resilient labor market even as the economy faces high interest rates and inflationary pressures. The Labor Department reported Thursday that weekly jobless claims dropped by 9,000 to 211,000 for the week ending December 30, 2024.