Opioid Abuse Takes A Toll On Workers And Their Employers
Many employers who test for drugs don't screen employees for opioids. Yet opioid abuse is linked to problems with workplace productivity and safety.
Economy
In Oklahoma, Low Energy Prices Drive State Budget Crisis
Low energy prices are good for consumers but bad for some businesses — and the states that rely on them. Oklahoma lawmakers say there may be a "revenue failure" soon. The state has a $900 million budget hole.
Alaska Faces Budget Deficit As Crude Oil Prices Slide
Alaska may overhaul the way it spends its oil wealth. While the state has a lot of oil, the price of oil has dropped so much that the state now has a $3.5 billion deficit — two-thirds of its budget.
Once Upon A Time, Congress Cut Deficits; Now CBO Says That's Over
Back in the old days, say 2011, political leaders talked about, and acted upon, worries involving federal borrowing. But a new CBO report shows deficits surging — even as political attention drifts.
IMF Lowers Its Growth Forecast For The Global Economy
Advanced economies are doing OK, but a sharp slowdown is plaguing much of the developing world, the IMF's latest report says.
What The Drop In Commodity Prices Means For The U.S. Economy
Steve Inskeep talks to David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the long-term precipitous declines in commodity prices.
China Reports Slowest Economic Growth In 25 Years
Not since the fallout from the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has China's economy grown at such a slow pace: at just below 7 percent last year.
Airport Workers Around The Country Rally For Better Wages
Airport workers in New York City, Chicago, Miami and other cities held protests on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. They called for their hourly minimum wages to increase to $15.
Chef Trades Toque For Amish Beard, Opens Off-The-Grid Deli In Maine
A Chicago chef tired of the kitchen grind moved his family to join an Amish community in Maine. He's now selling charcuterie and cheese from a cabin in the woods.
Iran Plans To Export More Oil. What Will That Do To The Market?
Now that international sanctions have been lifted, Iran hopes to export as much as 500,000 more barrels of oil a day. But this comes while global oil prices are falling and revenues are plunging.