Yuki Noguchi

Disabled Workers' Victory Exposes Risks To Most Vulnerable

Yuki Noguchi — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:29:00 +0000

Four years ago, 21 men with intellectual disabilities were emancipated from a bright blue, century-old schoolhouse in Atalissa, Iowa. They ranged in age from their 40s to their 60s, and for most of their adult lives they had worked for next to nothing and lived in dangerously unsanitary conditions.

Earlier this month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission won a massive judgment against the turkey-processing company at which the men worked.

Furloughs Only The Latest Blow To Federal Worker Morale

Yuki Noguchi — Thu, 09 May 2013 06:45:00 +0000

Federal workers say they don't have much to celebrate these days.

Furloughs began in April, exacerbating already low morale for many government agencies as budgets have tightened. Downsizing has meant more work for those who remain, and talk of further cuts has many worried about job security. This year is also the third that federal workers haven't received a pay increase, contributing to discontent.

Jenny Brown is in her 27th year as an examiner for the Internal Revenue Service, where she answers peoples' tax questions.

When It Comes To Productivity, Technology Can Hurt And Help

Yuki Noguchi — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:07:00 +0000

Even when people think they're buckling down, studies show the average office worker wastes over a third of the day. There's Facebook, of course, and the email from a friend with a YouTube link.

Shifting Retail Landscape Tilts Support For Online Sales Tax

Yuki Noguchi — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:32:00 +0000

The U.S. Senate may vote this week on the Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill that would allow states to collect sales tax from more online retailers. And as the political and retail landscape has shifted from the last time around, the Senate is expected to approve the measure.

The proposal to require online sellers to collect out-of-state sales tax has been kicked around for many years. For a decade, Amazon was a fierce opponent.

And Amazon had U.S. Supreme Court precedent on its side.

Fannie Mae Posts Record Profit

Yuki Noguchi — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:26:00 +0000

For all of last year, Fannie Mae posted net income of $17.2 billion. Just a year earlier, it had lost nearly the same amount. The company that finances home mortgages is still under government conservatorship.

As Housing Industry Builds Up, Other Sectors Follow

Yuki Noguchi — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:32:00 +0000

When fortunes rise in the housing industry — as they currently are — it tends to lift sales for other businesses, too. Home construction, sales and prices are all improving. And according to many analysts, the market is gaining steam.

For nearly two decades, Scott Gillis has owned his own moving company, Great Scott Moving in Hyattsville, Md. Moving high season is just around the corner, which means Gillis is hiring.

"I'm doing it right now, I'm calling up all my old employees.

For Some Ready To Buy, A Good Home Is Hard To Find

Yuki Noguchi — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:07:00 +0000

The first day of spring typically signals the high season for open houses and home sales.

The season seems to have arrived early in some places where homebuying is already frenzied, and in many markets, the pendulum has swung from an excess of homes on the market a few years ago to a shortage.

In Baltimore, Patrick and Britney Bove are fighting on two fronts, so to speak. On one hand, they're hosting an open house in the city's Hamilton neighborhood, and on the other, they're trying to find a house to buy.

U.S. Probes Abuse Allegations Under Worker Visa Program

Yuki Noguchi — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:21:00 +0000

A group of foreign college students who came to the U.S. on cultural work exchange visas in December have been protesting their working conditions at a McDonald's in Harrisburg, Pa. In the process, they've wading into a debate about guest workers in the U.S.

The students include Jorge Rios, who says three months ago he eagerly did the legwork necessary to get a J-1 visa, used for student work exchange.

"I had to do a lot of paperwork back in my country to get the visa.

Nominee To Head Consumer Protection Bureau Faces Vocal Opposition From Senate Republicans

Yuki Noguchi — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:55:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish.

Who will police Wall Street and the nation's thanks in this second Obama term? That was the question before the Senate Banking Committee today as members grilled two of the president's nominees. Richard Cordray is slated to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Mary Jo White is the president's pick to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Dow Jones Industrial Average Soars On Positive Economic News

Yuki Noguchi — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:45:00 +0000

The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed over into record territory Tuesday morning and kept going. At midday it was up nearly 150 points and well over its previous high of 14,164, set in October of 2007. The composition of the Dow has changed a lot since then.

Experts Boil Telecommuting Decisions Down To Flexibility Vs. Serendipity

Yuki Noguchi — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:42:00 +0000

Yahoo touched off a debate about the effectiveness of telecommuting when it told employees last week that they may no longer work from home.

Technology Upends Another Industry: Homebuilding

Yuki Noguchi — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:21:00 +0000

Years into the economic recovery, hiring remains slow. Many businesses learned to do more with less during the recession, so they don't need to bring on as many people now.

These new efficiencies have led to what economists call "labor displacement," which is taking place around the country.

Money Replaces Willpower In Programs Promoting Weight Loss

Yuki Noguchi — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:06:00 +0000

Sticking to a diet is a challenge for many people, but starting next year, Americans may have an even bigger, financial incentive to keep their weight in check.

Obama's Call To Raise Minimum Wage Not Likely To Go Anywhere

Yuki Noguchi — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:22:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

Among the things President Obama proposed last night in his State of the Union Address, an increase in the minimum wage.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Tonight, let's declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full time should have to live in poverty...

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: ...and raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour.

(APPLAUSE)

SIEGEL: The president also said the wage should be indexed to inflation.

Congress May Not Let Postal Service End Saturday Mail Delivery

Yuki Noguchi — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:36:00 +0000

The U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday that it plans to end Saturday delivery later this year. The Postal Service lost more than $15 billion in fiscal year 2012 and it is under great pressure to reduce those losses.