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Labor

What Work Is Like in the U.S.

140 stories published since 2015

Are Unemployment Benefits Taxed?

by Karim Doumar,

Lessons From Bessemer: What Amazon’s Union Defeat Means for the American Labor Movement

by Alec MacGillis,

After Hundreds of Meatpacking Workers Died From COVID-19, Congress Wants Answers

by Bernice Yeung and Michael Grabell,

All a Gig-Economy Pioneer Had to Do Was “Politely Disagree” It Was Violating Federal Law and the Labor Department Walked Away

by Ken Armstrong, Justin Elliott and Ariana Tobin,

“Those of Us Who Don’t Die Are Going to Quit”: A Crush of Patients, Dwindling Supplies and the Nurse Who Lost Hope

by J. David McSwane,

Package handlers sort through boxes while working at the FedEx Express World Hub in December 2014.

A Temp Worker Died on the Job After FedEx Didn’t Fix a Known Hazard. The Fine: $7,000.

by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

As COVID-19 Ravaged This Iowa City, Officials Discovered Meatpacking Executives Were the Ones in Charge

by Michael Grabell and Bernice Yeung,

An illustration of a woman climbing staircases and navigating screens.

A Guide to Navigating the Texas Unemployment System During the Coronavirus Pandemic

by Sally Beauvais, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, and Mitchell Ferman, The Texas Tribune,

A black-and-white illustration of three factory scenes. Each scene shows a pair of hands at work. Left: scrubbing metal; middle: carrying a tray of candy; right: packaging meat.

The Stolen Childhood of Teenage Factory Workers

by Melissa Sanchez,

Una ilustración en blanco y negro de tres escenas de fábrica. Cada escena muestra un par de manos trabajando. Izquierda: restregando metal; medio: cargando una bandeja de dulces; derecha: empacando carne.

La niñez robada de obreros adolescentes

by Melissa Sanchez,

Ilustración en blanco y negro de una escena de fábrica. Un obrero adolescente delante de una cinta transportadora rodeado de obreros adultos.

El mundo secreto de los adolescentes inmigrantes que trabajan en peligrosos turnos nocturnos en fábricas suburbanas

por Melissa Sanchez,

A black-and-white illustration of a factory scene. A teenage worker stands at a conveyor belt, surrounded by adult workers.

Inside the Lives of Immigrant Teens Working Dangerous Night Shifts in Suburban Factories

by Melissa Sanchez,

A worker cleans a walkway railing in the Boston Logan International Airport.

The Trump Administration Allowed Aviation Companies to Take Bailout Funds and Lay Off Workers, Says House Report

by Jeff Ernsthausen and Justin Elliott,

Robert Lighthizer Blew Up 60 Years of Trade Policy. Nobody Knows What Happens Next.

by Lydia DePillis,

Meet the Customer Service Reps for Disney and Airbnb Who Have to Pay to Talk to You

by Ken Armstrong, Justin Elliott and Ariana Tobin,

Do You Work in Customer Service? We’d Like to Hear About Your Work-From-Home Jobs.

by Ariana Tobin, Justin Elliott and Ken Armstrong,

“Cover Up”: House Democrats Subpoena Documents That NLRB Refused to Share in Ethics Investigation

by Ian MacDougall,

Trabajadoras temporales luchan contra supuesto acoso sexual y dicen que sufren represalias por hacerlo

por Melissa Sanchez,

Temp Workers Fight Back Against Alleged Sexual Harassment and Say They Face Retaliation for Doing So

by Melissa Sanchez,

The Small Biz Double-Dip: Temp Companies Got Cheap Government Money, Got Paid by Clients for the Same Workers

by Lydia DePillis,

They Warned OSHA They Were in “Imminent Danger” at the Meat Plant. Now They’re Suing the Agency.

by Bernice Yeung and Michael Grabell,

What Coronavirus Job Losses Reveal About Racism in America

by Lena V. Groeger,

The Most Common IRS Tax Forms You’re Likely to Come Across When Filing

by Kristen Doerer for ProPublica,

The Airline Bailout Loophole: Companies Laid Off Workers, Then Got Money Meant to Prevent Layoffs

by Justin Elliott and Jeff Ernsthausen,

Tracking PPP Loans: Search Every Company Approved for Federal Loans

by Moiz Syed and Derek Willis,

Companies Owned by This Billionaire Governor Received up to $24 Million in Bailout Loans

by Ken Ward Jr.,

An Employee at a Private Sports Club Owned by This Billionaire Governor Tested Positive for Coronavirus

by Ken Ward Jr.,

Stop Seizing Paychecks, Senators Write to Capital One and Other Debt Collectors

by Paul Kiel,

The Governor Urged Businesses to Reopen Safely, but a Restaurant at His Luxury Resort Didn’t, Complaints Say

by Ken Ward Jr.,

GM Closed the Lordstown Auto Plant. Now Ohio May Force a $60 Million Repayment.

by Dan O’Brien, The Business Journal,

She Paid Thousands for a Visa to Work in the U.S. Then She Got Laid Off. Now, She’s Trapped.

by Bernice Yeung,

This Treasury Official Is Running the Bailout. It’s Been Great for His Family.

by Justin Elliott, Lydia DePillis and Robert Faturechi,

Substitute Pharmacists Warn Their Co-Workers: We’ll Probably Bring the Virus to You

by Ava Kofman,

ProPublica Joins News Organizations in Suing for Small Business Program Loan Info

by Paul Kiel,

Why a Struggling Rust Belt City Pinned Its Revival on a Self-Chilling Beverage Can

by Dan O’Brien, The Business Journal,

Did Your Company Get Bailout Money? Are the Employees Benefiting From It?

by Justin Elliott, Paul Kiel and Lydia DePillis,

Life and Death, But No Trash Pickup: Diary of a Young COVID-19 Nurse

by Ryan Gabrielson,

Millions of Americans Might Not Get Stimulus Checks. Some Might Be Tricked Into Paying TurboTax to Get Theirs.

by Justin Elliott and Paul Kiel,

Inside the Union Where Coronavirus Put 98% of Members Out of Work

by James Bandler,

A Nurse Bought Protective Supplies for Her Colleagues Using GoFundMe. The Hospital Suspended Her.

by Marshall Allen,

ER Staffing Company Reverses Benefits Cuts for Doctors and Nurses Fighting Coronavirus

by Isaac Arnsdorf,

New York Wants Health Workers to Join the Fight Against COVID-19. Will It Pick Up Their Medical Bills if They Get Sick?

by Sean Campbell and Talia Buford,

¿Qué sucedería si se enferman los empleados que cortan las carnes del país?

por Michael Grabell,

What Happens If Workers Cutting Up the Nation’s Meat Get Sick?

by Michael Grabell,

The VA Will Now Let Some Administrative Staff Work From Home

by Bryant Furlow, New Mexico In Depth,

Obreros “esenciales” de fábricas temen ir al trabajo y no pueden permitirse quedarse en casa

por Melissa Sanchez,

“Essential” Factory Workers Are Afraid to Go to Work and Can’t Afford to Stay Home

by Melissa Sanchez,

Letter Carriers Say the Postal Service Pressured Them to Deliver Mail Despite Coronavirus Symptoms — and Often Without Hand Sanitizer

by Maryam Jameel,

Spencer’s Pressured Employees to Come to Work, Selling Gag Gifts and Sex Toys, Until We Called

by Alexandra Zayas,

The CDC Recommends Americans Stay at Home — Unless They Work for the CDC

by Yeganeh Torbati and Maryam Jameel,