Labor-Force Participation

Since the turn of the century, U.S. labor-force participation has been weakening.  There have been numerous attempts to explain this phenomenon, with little agreement.  Most of the theories have revolved around inadequate pay, increased safety net benefits such as disability payments, and the thought that a recovering economy would solve the problem by encouraging greater … Continued

Is $15 the New De Facto Minimum Wage?

Over the last several months, several major employers have announced increases in the minimum hourly rate they plan to pay during 2018 (see our blog from November 3).  These planned wage increases have tended to anticipate that their lowest pay rate would approximate $11.00-12.00 per hour in 2018 with additional increases in future years.  Subsequently, … Continued