May 13 Don’t make this Medicare mistake: COBRA is not like employer health insurance By Philip Moeller COBRA can provide continuation of health insurance for 18 months up to 36 months and can be a literal lifesaver for people who lose their jobs and health coverage. What it does not do, however, is take the place of… Continue reading
May 12 Watch 7:31 Why labor unions oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership By PBS News Hour Supporters of the Trans-Pacific Partnership say the deal would bring greater prosperity by opening trade, but opponents say it fails to include labor protections and could cost jobs. In the first in a series of conversations about what’s at stake,… Continue watching
May 12 Verizon to buy AOL for $4.4 billion By Joshua Barajas Verizon announced Tuesday that it’s buying AOL Inc. for $50 a share, valued at approximately $4.4 billion, to bolster the company’s plans for mobile and web video. Continue reading
May 11 Playing God with Social Security fairness By Laurence Kotlikoff Our fiscal system, in general, and Social Security, in particular, is an incredibly complex maze of entangled provisions, most of which were put into place in piecemeal fashion over the years. Saying that provision X is unfair because it benefits… Continue reading
May 10 Spoil mom with gifts on Mother’s Day, but watch out for these scams By Rebecca Lee While Mother's Day should be spent celebrating the important women in our lives, it could also be a very lucky day for scammers. The Better Business Bureau advises shoppers to be wary of Mother's Day vendor scams, especially online, which… Continue reading
May 10 Chinese central bank announces further rate cuts By Daniel Costa-Roberts In an effort to counteract an ongoing economic slowdown, China's central bank cut interest rates for the third time in six months… Continue reading
May 08 Watch 4:48 Who’s really paying the price for those beautiful nails? By PBS News Hour In New York City, manicures are inexpensive for customers but come at a high price for workers. The New York Times found that nail salon employees work for very low wages or for nothing, usually after paying a fee to… Continue watching
May 08 April job growth blooms after harsh March By Making Sen$e Editor A bleak March labor report gave way to a brighter April, adding 223,000 jobs and dropping unemployment to a seven-year low. Continue reading
May 08 Obama says trade deal lets U.S. write the rules, not China By Jim Kuhnhenn, Associated Press President Barack Obama argued forcefully Friday for a pending international trade agreement, saying the U.S. must write the rules for global commerce now, while it's in a position of economic strength, or lose out. Continue reading
May 07 Watch 8:38 How does Baltimore’s economy recover after the riots? By PBS News Hour Business owners, investors and even churches have seen their livelihoods crippled by the riots that plagued Baltimore this past week, following news of the death of a black man while in police custody. Now they are trying to piece back… Continue watching