Japan’s work ethic famously propelled it into a first world nation and the Japanese are known to work some of the longest hours in the world. Ironically, it is among the least productive economies today and one that has remained stagnant for over two decades. Washington-based journalist Yumi Araki heads back to her native home to find out why the Japanese work so hard. As the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and with ever greater economic pressures, Yumi also explores if that unbending dedication to work is changing. She meets people across a spectrum of the nation’s workforce: from ...
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With more than 278,000 job openings in the construction industry in 2018, a critical need for new workers must be addressed. Home Builders Institute, which has a long history of training construction workers, is pioneering a new approach to creating a strong workforce pipeline. The nonprofit organization is providing free skills training for transitioning servicemen and women on military bases and helping them secure jobs after discharge. Thanks to continued funding from The Home Depot Foundation, HBI will expand its Department of Labor-recognized program to more military installations over the next decade. WorkingNation follows the story of U.S. Army Staff ...
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Do minimum wage laws actually hurt workers? Learn more: The minimum wage sounds nice on the surface: workers earning $8 per hour would certainly be better off if they were earning $12 per hour instead. But economics professor Antony Davies explains that this view of the minimum wage overlooks an important detail: The minimum wage does not force employers to pay a particular wage to every worker; it forces employers to pay a particular wage to every worker they choose to keep. While the minimum wage may be well-intentioned public policy, it often huts the very workers most in need ...
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