Business and Economic News

More home heating crisis funds for low income Minnesotans
In response to higher home heating costs, Minnesota is increasing the amount of crisis funding available to help low income residents in danger of running out of fuel.
The cutting edge solution to rising debt? Paying in cash
2022 has been a rough year for America's personal finances. That's sparked a throwback movement among some young debtors: all cash, all the time.
McDonald's franchise owners are caught violating child labor laws
Santonastasso Enterprises broke the law when more than a 100 teens were asked to work too many hours or too many late shifts, according to the Department of Labor.
Factory workers across the U.S. say they were exposed to asbestos on the job
Their accounts contrast sharply with what chemical giants have said about worker safety at their facilities. At an Olin plant outside of McIntosh, Ala., workers recall decades of asbestos exposure.
Minnesota nurses strike averted as hospitals, union reach deals
The Minnesota Nurses Association and more than a dozen hospitals in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports reported tentative agreements on new three-year labor contracts Tuesday, averting a walkout by thousands of nurses that was scheduled to start in just days.
A congressional report says financial technology companies fueled rampant PPP fraud
Fraud in the Paycheck Protection Program, which gave potentially forgivable loans to small businesses during the pandemic, was largely due to financial technology companies, according to a new report.
Minnesota budget surplus tops $17 billion
Minnesota’s budget surplus has grown to $17.6 billion, setting the table for the governor and lawmakers to use for the 2023 legislative session. The state, though, still faces economic headwinds from beyond its borders.
There's a lithium mining boom, but it's not a jobs bonanza
Lithium mining is experiencing a boom right now, but it's no jobs bonanza. The promised surge in clean-energy jobs is mostly focused farther down the supply chain, like at battery assembly plants.