Amanda Caballero wishes she could go back to work at Amazon. She made $15 an hour at the Fresno fulfillment center — several dollars more than the state’s minimum wage — and received more than three months of paid maternity leave. Her generous health insurance package covered her husband and...
Starbucks, Home of the $4 Latte, Is Moving Into Poor Areas
DETROIT — Starbucks has a point to prove: There's more to the company than selling $4 lattes to rich people. The Seattle-based coffee giant that has cultivated a reputation for being socially responsible said Thursday it is expanding its effort to put more coffee shops — and create more jobs...
Survey: US Companies Added 202,000 Jobs in December
BALTIMORE — U.S. companies added 202,000 jobs in December, led by robust hiring in construction, trade, transportation and utilities, according to a private survey. Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that the bulk of the hiring was among smaller and mid-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Hiring in November was...
Risks, Rewards, and Robots: The Future of Work in California
Are robots coming for California’s jobs? In today’s increasingly automated economy, that’s certainly the fear. Technology has always generated economic churn, destroying some jobs and creating others. Already advances have generated a whole new sector of “gig” employment, and deeply disrupted other workplaces, from brick-and-mortar bookstores to newspapers to travel...
Fresno Unemployment Creeps Up. State Maintains Record Low.
Fresno County's unemployment rate rose to 6.5% in November, up from October's revised jobless rate of 5.8%, the state said Friday. Meanwhile, California's unemployment rate held steady at the record low of 3.9% in November. Listen to this article: Between October and November, the Fresno area shed 1,400 total...
US Gains a Robust 266,000 Jobs; Unemployment Falls to 3.5%
WASHINGTON — Friday’s November jobs report will provide insight into whether steady hiring remains a source of strength for the U.S. economy even as the Trump administration’s trade conflicts have heightened uncertainties for employers. Economists have forecast that the government will report that employers remained confident enough to add a...
Risks, Rewards, and Robots: The Future of Work in California
Are robots coming for California’s jobs? In today’s increasingly automated economy, that’s certainly the fear. Technology has always generated economic churn, destroying some jobs and creating others. Already advances have generated a whole new sector of “gig” employment, and deeply disrupted other workplaces, from brick-and-mortar bookstores to newspapers to travel...
Fresno County Unemployment Rate Hits Historic Low of 5.3%
The California economy keeps humming along, and Valley communities are hopping aboard the jobs train. Officials said Friday that California's unemployment rate fell to a record low of 4% in September. It also was a record-setting month for Fresno (5.3%), Kings (5.7%), Madera (5.0%) and Merced (5.5%) counties, according to the...
AP FACT CHECK: Dems Flub Details on Guns, Syria in Debate
WASHINGTON — A dozen Democrats seeking the presidency tussled in a debate packed with policy, flubbing some details in the process. Several gave an iffy explanation Tuesday of why they're not swinging behind a bold proposal to make people turn over their assault-style weapons. Sloppiness also crept in during robust exchanges over...
Stockton’s Free Cash Initiative: Where Did the Money Go?
SACRAMENTO — The first data from an experiment in a California city where needy people get $500 a month from the government shows they spend most of it on things such as food, clothing and utility bills. The 18-month, privately funded program started in February and involves 125 people in...