Business and Economic News

Pandemic pay panel inches toward agreement
Weeks behind schedule, a panel is moving slowly toward agreement on which Minnesota essential workers should be rewarded for duty during the pandemic. The deal isn't done and the package is tangled up in other COVID-19 politics. But those involved in talks hope checks can go out before the year ends. 
small change: Money Stories from the Neighborhood
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Chris Farrell and Twila Dang about season two of their podcast … small change: Money Stories from the Neighborhood. 
Retail jobs are treated as a temporary bridge to something better. But why?
At any moment, some 15 million Americans work in retail. Many stay for years. Now companies face a labor crunch, and workers wish these jobs were designed as durable careers.
Cash bonuses and free lunches: No end in sight to labor shortage
Businesses continue to struggle to fill open positions, and many have had to scale back because they can't find enough workers. Despite hiring bonuses and the end of enhanced unemployment benefits, the labor shortage that preceded the pandemic is not letting up.
Minnesota DNR launches new hearing process for PolyMet mine
Minnesota regulators have launched a court-ordered process for assessing the risks to clean water from waste from the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota.