Destiny Vansickle is a teacher in the 2-year-old classroom at A Place to Grow. Thanks to the bonuses and wage increases she received in the pandemic, she was able to buy her first house. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption
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Robin Catalano, a freelance writer based on the border of the Berkshires and the Hudson Valley, urges other freelancers to carefully review employment contracts and negotiate any noncompete clauses they may contain. Cassandra Sohn hide caption
Many workers barely recall signing noncompetes, until they try to change jobs
The FTC proposed a new rule banning noncompete agreements. Federal Trade Commission chair Lina M. Khan calls them exploitative and widespread. Graeme Jennings/Getty Images hide caption
Deepak Patel, 43, conducts a room inspection at the Country Inn and Suites, Baltimore North, a hotel he owns and manages with his family in Rosedale, Maryland. Rosem Morton for NPR hide caption
Hotels say goodbye to daily room cleanings and hello to robots as workers stay scarce
Jon Miller sits in his bedroom with his dog, Carlos, whom he received as a present for successfully completing cancer treatment a decade ago. Miller sustained severe brain damage, and requires the help of home health aides to continue living in his home. Natalie Krebs/Side Effects Public Media hide caption
A shortage of health aides is forcing out those who wish to get care at home
Side Effects Public Media
Workers walk toward an Amazon warehouse on Staten Island, New York, on April 25, 2022. It's the second Amazon facility on Staten Island to vote on whether to join the Amazon Labor Union. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images hide caption
Amazon Labor Union fails to repeat victory in Staten Island Amazon warehouse election
Latoya Beatty, owner of Little Pandas Learn-N-Play in Martinsburg, W.Va., has had trouble hiring day care teachers. She recently raised her starting wage from $10 an hour to $12. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption
Tina Miller, owner of Walkabout Outfitter, says keeping her business afloat in the pandemic has been beyond challenging. At one point, business was down 90%. Kirk Miller hide caption
Florida Just Passed A $15 Minimum Wage. Is The Time Right For A Big Nationwide Hike?
Airport employees, Uber and Lyft drivers, and other workers protest for a $15 minimum wage at Los Angeles International Airport in October. Increases in minimum wages contributed to bigger pay gains for lower-income workers. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images hide caption