Category: Jobs & Wages
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Ask your employer about $5,250 in tax-free tuition or student-loan help.
A benefit hidden in an employee handbook can be worth as much as $5,250 a year without increasing taxable wages. Employers may use a qualified educational-assistance program to help with tuition, books and certain student-loan payments. The catch is that the workplace must actually offer the plan, and its rules can be narrower than the…
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April Jobs Report: The Numbers Behind the Headline
Employers added 115,000 jobs in April and unemployment held at 4.3%. Behind the headline: where hiring is real, where it isn’t, and what wages did.
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How to Read a Job Offer: Salary Is Only Half the Number
Benefits average roughly 30 cents of every compensation dollar, per BLS data. How to compare two job offers on total compensation, not just salary.
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What the May Jobs Numbers Mean for Job Switchers
May added 172,000 jobs and unemployment held at 4.3%, but quits are near decade lows. What Friday’s report means if you’re thinking about switching jobs.
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Minimum Wage Goes Up July 1: Check Your State
Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C. raise their minimum wages July 1, 2026, along with Chicago, Los Angeles and more. Here are the new hourly rates.
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June Jobs Report: What It Says About Summer Hiring
Employers added 57,000 jobs in June 2026 and unemployment held near 4.2%, but leisure and hospitality shed 61,000 jobs in a weak start to summer hiring.
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How to Read Your Pay Stub, Line by Line
Gross pay, FICA, pre-tax deductions, YTD columns: what every line on your pay stub means, which numbers to check, and the errors worth catching early.
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Your Teen’s First Paycheck: The Rules Employers Must Follow
A first summer job comes with real rules about hours, pay, and taxes. Here is what federal law requires for teen workers, and what parents should check.
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The Right Way to Check What Your Job Should Pay
Before your next raise conversation, look up what your job actually pays in your metro area using the government’s free BLS wage data. Here’s how.