There’s already unemployment insurance. But new research makes the case for wage insurance as further protection for workers.

Amid new executive actions on immigration, and 100 years since the National Origins Act, we look at how policy has shaped the economy.

Wages were running hot two years ago, rising about 6% annually. Things have cooled since then, with April average wages up just under 4%.

Rent growth is slower in some places, but much faster in others. We’re looking at you, New York City.

While the labor market is still tight, some owners aren’t feeling like they need to hike pay as much as they did earlier in the pandemic.

“Now, it is leaner crews,” says one restaurant server, but a more stable income. Other states are watching how it plays out in the capital.

That’s good for workers, who have been experiencing positive real wage growth since May 2023.

It’s been harder for lower- and middle-income households to afford higher food, rent and gas prices without getting into debt.

Fast food workers’ wages are up as much as 30% since 2020. That has had real costs for businesses, but real benefits for society.

A recent economics study seeks to quantify just how much noncompete clauses restrict worker mobility and wages.