Economy
Retailers pare back their seasonal hiring to prepare for ho-hum holidays
Black Friday shoppers may notice longer lines and fewer retail associates in some of their favorite stores than in past holiday seasons as retailers scale back seasonal hiring over concerns about consumer spending. JCPenney is hiring 12,000 fewer workers than last year. Macy’s 3,000 fewer. Meanwhile a Walmart executive said the retail giant has been […]
Sununu’s ‘Recovery Friendly Workplace’ serves as model for new national institute
Gov. Chris Sununu joined the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy on Wednesday in announcing new resources to support recovery-friendly workplaces across the country, including a national nonprofit dedicated to the cause. Sununu launched New Hampshire’s “Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative” in 2018, designed to empower businesses around the state to support individuals with […]
Key NH housing panel recommends 88,000 new housing units by 2040
A panel of housing experts is recommending that New Hampshire aim to build 88,000 new housing units by 2040 – echoing recent research that found that target is necessary to adequately reverse the state’s housing crisis. At its Oct. 24 meeting, the Council on Housing Stability agreed to adopt the goal, which follows the Fair […]
NH would see $31 million more for child care under Biden’s request to Congress
The Biden administration’s request to Congress for $16 billion in new child care funding would bring New Hampshire $31 million, according to a White House announcement Thursday. The money would benefit an estimated 320 providers and 29,700 children, the White House’s communication office said. “This directly relates to the biggest issue that families face today […]
States are trying to prop up the child care industry. It isn’t enough.
State efforts to prop up child care might spare some providers from the worst effects of last month’s expiration of pandemic-related aid – at least temporarily. But the unraveling of a system plagued by a lack of affordability and access, low wages, staffing turnover, and burnout will continue, experts say. “The basic business model of […]
State commissions study on the benefits program ‘cliff effect’
New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services is commissioning a study to look at the “cliff effect” in public benefits programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, and what the state can do to address it. The cliff effect refers to situations where a person uses a benefit program but then […]
New Hampshire state-run cannabis model would use franchise system
If New Hampshire lawmakers pass the cannabis legalization bill preferred by Gov. Chris Sununu in 2024, the business model might look a little like McDonald’s. One large entity – the New Hampshire Liquor Commission – would oversee all the products, the marketing, and the layout of retail stores. But individual stores would be run by […]
States and cities eye stronger protections for gig economy workers
Joshua Wood remembers days during the COVID-19 lockdown when New York City’s streets were practically empty, save for workers like him. That experience convinced the 25-year-old Brooklynite – who makes deliveries for both Uber Eats and a package delivery service – that the gig economy needed some urgent changes. Roughly 1 in 6 American adults […]
‘However long it takes,’ longtime Ford worker says of the UAW strike
As the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against the Detroit Three enters its fourth day, workers say that they are in it “for the long haul.” Samantha Litton of Taylor has worked at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant for three years. “It shouldn’t take eight years to get top pay,” Litton told the Advance on […]
Strike! United Auto Workers declares historic strike against Detroit Three automakers.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) declared a strike at midnight Thursday after negotiations for a new contract failed with “Detroit Three” auto manufacturers: Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. This is the first time in the union’s history it has gone on strike against all three automakers. UAW President Shawn Fain told members at the picket […]
New child care funding aimed at employers, centers, family providers
The state is investing nearly $6.75 million in federal money in two new initiatives to expand child care for parents and help employers become more aware and supportive of employees’ child care needs. Both projects were inspired by the Department of Health and Human Services’ plan to expand affordable quality child care across the state. […]
Report: Without more housing and child care, employers won’t find workers
When adjusted for inflation, the average hourly wage in New Hampshire over the last 12 months is lower than it was in 2021. For every unemployed person, there are more than three unfilled jobs, due in part to limited affordable housing and child care. Workers 55 and older are increasingly saying they no longer want […]