Economy

Tom Hansen's irregular pay leaves him and his wife, Gina Barr, juggling their finances to pay the bills.

For One Family, Contract Work Means 'Feast Or Famine' As Income Varies

5:26pm January 24, 2018

by Jim Zarroli

An NPR/Marist survey found that 1 in 5 workers is a contractor, not a steady payroll employee. For about half of these workers, income can vary greatly from month to month, making budgeting difficult.

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Economy

A Long-Term Bet Gone Bust

4:00pm January 24, 2018

Long-term-care insurance seemed like the next big thing. Then insurance companies started losing billions of dollars. What went wrong?

The town sign stands in the snow at the entrance to Davos, Switzerland, host to the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum taking place this week. Donald Trump will be among the attendees.

Why The Internet Loves And Hates Oxfam's Global Inequality Report

3:01pm January 24, 2018

by Tom Murphy

The annual report is intended for the rich and powerful who gather in Davos to talk about world poverty. And it causes the Twittersphere to flare up.

News Brief: Republicans Rally Behind Nunes Memo, Trump Heads To Davos

7:35am January 24, 2018

Republicans want to release a memo prepared by Rep. Devin Nunes about alleged abuses by the intelligence community. Also, President Trump is heading to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

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Trump To Talk Up His Economic Policies At Davos

7:35am January 24, 2018

by Mara Liasson

President Trump is traveling Wednesday to address the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. His message is expected to tout his agenda of tax cuts and deregulation.

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Jerome Powell, President Trump's pick for chairman of the Federal Reserve, testifying before a Senate committee in November 2017. He was confirmed by the full Senate on Tuesday.

Senate Confirms Jerome Powell As New Federal Reserve Chair

9:36pm January 23, 2018

by Richard Gonzales

Powell, an uncontroversial pick of President Trump, is widely expected to follow the gradual interest rate increase policy of outgoing chief Janet Yellen.

Alex Belfiori, 28, is a contract worker at Dick's Sporting Goods near Pittsburgh. An NPR/Marist poll shows 65 percent of contract workers are men and 62 percent of such workers are under 45.

The Mystery Of Contract Work: Why So Many Guys?

5:25pm January 23, 2018

by Uri Berliner

An NPR/Marist poll shows 65 percent of contract workers are men and 62 percent are under 45. Contract workers gain flexibility, but when business goes down, they're often the first to be fired.

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Do you have experience in the gig economy? NPR wants to hear from you.

Economy

Do You Work A Side Gig On Top Of Your Full-Time Job?

4:53pm January 23, 2018

NPR is interested in hearing from people who work side jobs on top of their full-time positions.

Economy

Google Selfies

4:00pm January 23, 2018

Today's Indicator: Your face. It's worth money. It's the next big thing. And, if you're like most of us, you're giving it away.

Kimberly-Clark, maker of Huggies and other well-known brands, plans to cut more than 12 percent of its workforce in 2018.

Kimberly-Clark Announces Layoffs, Along With $3.3 Billion In Operating Profit

3:37pm January 23, 2018

by Bill Chappell

Kimberly-Clark plans to cut up to 5,500 jobs — about 13 percent of its workforce — and get rid of 10 manufacturing plants, as its CEO cites "a challenging environment."