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☆ Uber, Lyft and the gig economy think they've found a way to win the national labor war
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

While only applicable in California, labor law experts expect momentum to spread to other states where the issue hasn't yet been tested. 22 went into effect, more than 80% of California drivers surveyed said that it has been good for them. In other high-population states, there has been a wave of recent actions and compromises between the companies and the states. In November, New York announced two settlements totaling $328 million with Uber and Lyft to resolve multi-year investigations. The state had been seeking a court determination that Uber and Lyft drivers are employees, not independent contractors.

Persons: Caroline Donelan, Uber, Brazil —, Gary McLaughlin, Mitchell Silberberg, Lyft, there's, James Yukevich, Yukevich Cavanaugh, it's, Tony West, Kamala Harris, general's, Michael M, Baylson, Donelan, Massachusetts Uber, Verrett, John Wicker, Stradling Yocca Carlson, There's, Gregory P, Feit, Reavis Organizations: California Supreme, Blank, Employees, New York, Pew Research, Washington Post, Democratic Party, Transportation Network Companies, federal, Labor, Union, United, 32BJ SEIU, Service Employees International Union, International Association of Machinists, SEIU, Rauth Locations: California's, U.S, California, New, New York State, Massachusetts, Australia, Brazil, Washington, New York , Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Florida, Minneapolis, In Massachusetts

☆ I fell in love with a charming town in Northern California. Once I finally moved there, I couldn't get away fast enough.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Jaime Stathis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Grass Valley, California, was one of those places for me. AdvertisementWhile Martin debated pros and cons, I quickly mapped Sacramento to Grass Valley — it was 56 miles. On a scouting trip, he agreed that Grass Valley seemed like a great place. But once we finally lived in the Northern California town, we realized we may have been better off just visiting. I lived in Grass Valley for two and a half years, and three years after moving away, I'm only in touch with a few people.

Persons: —, I've, Martin, he'd, Patty Thomas, we'd, Califonia Organizations: Service, Business, San, California . San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Newspapers, Getty, Gold Rush Locations: , California, San Francisco, Missoula , Montana, Sacramento, Grass, Northern California, San Bernardino, Lake Arrowhead, Missoula, Berkley, Lake Tahoe, it's, Grass Valley, California, Nevada, Southern California, New England

☆ CrowdStrike shares plunge 11% to lowest level of the year on report that Delta may seek damages
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Katie Bartlett | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CrowdStrike shares fell tumbled 11% on Tuesday to their lowest level of the year following a report that Delta Air Lines hired prominent attorney David Boies to seek damages from the security software vendor. CrowdStrike fell $28.98 to $228.83 as of early afternoon trading. Late Monday, CNBC's Phil Lebeau reported that Delta hired Boies, chairman of Boies Schiller Flexner, to seek compensation from CrowdStrike and Microsoft . No suit has been filed, Lebeau reported, and Delta didn't respond to a request for comment. The Department of Transportation said last week that it's investigating Delta due to the widespread flight disruptions and service failures.

Persons: CrowdStrike, David Boies, CNBC's Phil Lebeau, Boies, Boies Schiller, Lebeau, Harvey Weinstein, Elizabeth Holmes Organizations: Delta Air Lines, Microsoft, Delta, Department of Transportation, U.S, Hollywood

Delta Air Lines has hired prominent attorney David Boies to seek damages from CrowdStrike and Microsoft following an outage this month that caused millions of computers to crash, leading to thousands of flight cancellations. CrowdStrike shares fell as much as 5% in extended trading on Monday after CNBC's Phil Lebeau reported on Delta's hiring of Boies, chairman of Boies Schiller Flexner. On July 19, a software update from CrowdStrike led to a historic outage of Microsoft systems, knocking numerous industries offline. While no suit has been filed, Delta plans to seek compensation from Microsoft and CrowdStrike, Lebeau reported. Insurance startup Parametrix estimated that the CrowdStrike incident resulted in a total loss of $5.4 billion for Fortune 500 companies, not including Microsoft.

Persons: David Boies, CNBC's Phil Lebeau, Boies Schiller, CrowdStrike, Lebeau, Delta hasn't, Harvey Weinstein, Elizabeth Holmes Organizations: Delta Air Lines, Microsoft, Airlines, Department of Transportation, Delta, U.S, Hollywood, Insurance, Fortune

☆ I moved from Connecticut to California. I loved it, but felt so relieved when I returned to New England years later.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-28 | by ( Carly Neil | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewIn 2015, my boyfriend (now husband) was accepted to a graduate program in Southern California. Carly NeilIt costs a lot to live anywhere nowadays, but Southern California takes that notion to a whole new level. Connecticut is also pricey (it falls in the top 15), but once you live in Southern California, most of the country feels like a discount. From Los Angeles to San Diego, the entire region of Southern California is well above average regarding median home price, yet another metric of unaffordability. AdvertisementThe weather in California was beautiful, but it became monotonousThere's nothing like fall foliage in New England.

Persons: —, Carly Neil, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Golden State, East Locations: Southern California, Connecticut, California, New England, Laguna, . Connecticut, Los Angeles, San Diego, England, Orange County, West Coast, East

☆ A Gen Xer got $10,000 to move from Los Angeles to Tulsa. He likes the slower pace of life in Oklahoma but misses California's big-city culture.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

He said he didn't "have a timeline in mind until after" he was accepted into the Tulsa Remote program in Oklahoma in 2021. Dalton said the cost of living and pace of life are pros of living in Tulsa. Several people who have participated in the Tulsa Remote program, which launched in late 2018, have previously talked to BI about their moving experience. The new remote job would help him qualify for a move from California to Oklahoma through the Tulsa Remote program. Tulsa's slower pace of life gives Dalton more time to enjoy life and have fun with others.

Persons: —, Morgan Dalton, Dalton, Tulsans, I've, It's, he's, Joe's, it's, Guthrie Organizations: Service, Business, BOK Center, Tulsa, Tulsa Drillers Locations: Los Angeles, Tulsa, Oklahoma, West Coast, West, Mexican, Texas, Houston, California, LA, Southern California, New York, DC, San Francisco

☆ These 10 U.S. states are America's best-prepared for climate change and extreme weather
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Some states are particularly vulnerable to climate risks, but these ten states are most ready for what Mother Nature has in store. 2024 Infrastructure Score: 276 out of 425 points (Top States Grade: A+) Climate Extremes Index: 14.9% Properties at risk: 96% Renewable energy: 24% 8. 2024 Infrastructure Score: 189 out of 425 points (Top States Grade: C-) Climate Extremes Index: 22.12% Properties at risk: 34% Renewable Energy: 77% 2. While a large percentage of Idaho properties are susceptible to climate risk, the danger of flooding is relatively minimal. 2024 Infrastructure Score: 195 out of 425 points (Top States Grade: C) Climate Extremes Index: 16.54% Properties at Risk: 90% Renewable Energy: 78% 1.

Persons: Jeremy Porter, Pete Buttigieg, Maria Lehman, Nature, Marli Miller, Justin Sullivan, Wolfgang Kaehler, Matt McClain, Randy Olson, Forester John Erixson, Kirby Lee, Jared Polis, Mario Tama, Rushmore, Idaho Neil Lincoln, Brownlee, Robert Gauthier, William, Marcia Lee, David Becker Organizations: First Street Foundation, Infrastructure Law, Transportation, CNBC, American Society of Civil Engineers, First, Atmospheric Administration, U.S . Department of Energy, Oregon Solar, UCG, Getty, Oregon Department of Energy, Washington, Cedar, Bio Energy Washington, Lightrocket, Washington Department of Commerce, Clean Energy Fund, New, Washington Post, Energy, Nebraska, Nebraska Forest, Colorado, University of Colorado, California, Energy Department, Dakota, Idaho Power, Los Angeles Times, Idaho Locations: Louisiana, States, Oregon, Valley , Oregon, Arizona, Phoenix , Arizona, Maricopa County, Phoenix, King, King County , Washington, United States, New Mexico, Mora , NM, Nebraska, Loup, Taylor , Nebraska, Boulder , Colorado, Palm Springs , California, California, Texas, South Dakota, Cavan, Iowa, Idaho, Nevada, Las Vegas

☆ Kamala Harris' ascent puts California back in the driver's seat of national politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Biden won California by 29 points in 2020, and Harris will surely win the deep blue state in her own right. Along the way, Harris' political trajectory opened up doors to places that other candidates eyeing the White House have to fly across the country to reach. AdvertisementAs a presidential candidate, Harris won't be a stranger to the tech giants that fueled so much growth in her state. And should Harris win the White House, there'd be a familiar face influencing policy and legislation on relevant tech issues for the foreseeable future, which is something that doesn't come along everyday. Harris hasn't secured the Democratic nomination yet, but if she does, California could be in for some of its sunniest days yet.

Persons: —, Nancy Pelosi, Kevin McCarthy, Pelosi, McCarthy, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Harris, Biden —, Hillary Clinton, Mike Levin, there'd, Harris hasn't Organizations: Service, US, Capitol, Business, Democratic, Biden, California, Senate, White Locations: San Francisco Bay, California, Delaware, Golden State, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Orange, San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco, Francisco's, Hollywood, Silicon, Los Angeles

☆ Student-loan borrowers can likely count on more debt cancellation if Kamala Harris wins the presidency
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

This could be good news for student-loan borrowers looking for relief. When it comes to broader student-loan forgiveness, Harris has stood behind Biden's efforts to cancel student debt. AdvertisementBiden's administration is now working toward a second attempt at broader student-loan forgiveness, which is expected to benefit over 30 million borrowers. Harris's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider on the higher education and student-loan forgiveness policies she might prioritize as a candidate. Beyond student-loan forgiveness, Harris has also vouched for free college and supported Sen. Bernie Sanders's College for All Act, which would make tuition free for students at community colleges and four-year public institutions making up to $125,000 a year.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Biden, Harris, Pell Grant, Sen, Bernie Sanders's Organizations: Service, Business, Corinthian College, Education Department, Corinthian, Administration, Politico, Bernie Sanders's College, All

☆ Here's where Kamala Harris stands on the issues, from the economy to healthcare
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Lloyd Lee | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Presenting herself as a center-left politician, Harris previously ran successful campaigns in California, winning statewide races for the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, the state attorney general, and the US Senate. AdvertisementHere's where she stands on major issues:AbortionHarris has supported abortion rights since her time in the Senate. ClimateHarris previously supported policies to combat climate change, including plans to transition the US to 100% renewable energy and a carbon tax. As vice president, Harris was tasked with handling the root causes of migration to the US from Central America. Harris re-affirmed her support for LGBTQ+ rights as vice president but has not provided specific policies.

Persons: —, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Harris, Biden, Brett Kavanaugh, Roe, Wade, Climate Harris, She's, Donald Trump's, Sen, Bernie Sanders of, Harris waffled, Sanders, HuffPost, Alejandro Giammattei, Trump Organizations: Service, Democratic, San, San Francisco District Attorney's Office, Business, CNN, Biden, Marshall, Biden's Infrastructure Deal, Healthcare, Stat, Immigration, San Francisco DA, Senate Republicans, Republicans, GOP Locations: California, San Francisco District, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Immigration, Central America, United States, Guatemalan, Israel, Gaza, Rafah

☆ Droughts are threatening California's water supply. The state is racing to save what's left.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Leila Jordan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

In 2012, San Francisco's Public Utilities Commission began developing the Onsite Water Reuse Program to investigate whether water reuse, also known as water recycling, in buildings could be a solution to California's water problem. The adoption of on-site water reuse can also be a sensible decision for developers. Water reuse to overcome hurdlesWhile large plants and on-site water systems in major buildings have been California's more established methods of water reuse, the state's biggest hurdle is retrofitting systems for existing buildings. During times of drought, the state has encouraged water conservation and water recycling, such as the use of recycled water for plants. In 2023, California made progress toward establishing recycled water for direct potable reuse and allowing recycled water to be used in the state's drinking-water supply.

Persons: —, Paula Kehoe, Kehoe, Aaron Tartakovsky, Tartakovsky, Cleantec, They're, Phoenix's Aquacell, Cleantec Erik Porse, Porse, It's Organizations: Infrastructure, Service, Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, California Institute for Water Resources, Brewing, Texas Locations: California, Silicon, San Francisco, San Francisco's, Beverly Hills, San, Iowa, States, Virginia, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, East Coast, Southern California, In Texas

☆ I'm a conservative who moved from California to Texas during the pandemic, but I only stayed 2 years before moving back to Orange County.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But Nickens only stayed in Texas for two years before returning to California because she missed the weather and access to nature. I moved from the Inland Empire to Orange County in 2016 after my daughter graduated from high school. I really didn't want to be left behind. I didn't realize how much I really loved being outside until I moved to Texas. I really, really missed the beach.

Persons: —, Heather Nickens, Nickens, I'm, Dallas, Abbott, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Labor, Angels Locations: Orange County , California, Dallas, Texas, California, Houston, Inland, Orange County, Austin, Galveston

☆ SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket suffers rare inflight failure, is grounded during investigation
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SpaceX's Falcon 9 is pictured launching satellites to orbit in space after it lifted off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, U.S., in this screenshot obtained from a handout video released on July 12, 2024. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is grounded, pending an incident investigation, after an inflight failure — a rare misfire for the company's workhorse vehicle. The mission, known as "Starlink Group 9-3," launched from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on Thursday evening and was carrying 20 satellites bound for low Earth orbit. But the rocket's upper second stage failed to reignite its engine as planned and was destroyed, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed. Falcon 9 is grounded until the Federal Aviation Administration signs off on SpaceX's investigation of the incident, the federal regulator confirmed.

Persons: SpaceX's, Elon Musk, Musk Organizations: Vandenberg Space Force, California's Vandenberg Space Force Base, SpaceX, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, CNBC Locations: California, U.S

Driving for Uber and Lyft has helped bring in some money, but not enough to offset expenses. "What I can tell you is I barely work," Sharp said. "In May I worked two days, in April I worked four days, in March I worked two days, in February I worked two days, in January I worked one day." "I'm not embarrassed about that, but when I’m willing to work — and bust my ass — why is it that I can’t get a living wage?" Ironically, fast-food jobs are now quite difficult to obtain, Sharp said, not least because their hourly wages are higher than in many other industries thanks to California's new $20 minimum wage for workers in the sector.

Persons: Doug Sharp, Lyft, Sharp, Uber, there's, it's, — Sharp, he's, I’ve, ”, I'm Organizations: NBC, Los, University of Massachusetts, Guild, Los Angeles ., Home Depot, Walmart, Fiat, Federal Reserve Locations: Los Angeles, Amherst, Hollywood, UberEats

☆ San Quentin on Lockdown As Inmates Suffer Gastrointestinal Illness
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Laura Italiano | Nicole Einbinder | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewUsually, when "chicken hindquarters" is on the dinner menu at San Quentin, it's good news. Four men serving sentences at San Quentin say dozens of prisoners were sickened, and some 2,000 were subjected to a week of lockdown to prevent any illness from spreading. The four men who spoke to Business Insider told similar stories. Gavin Newsom announced the facility's "transformation" from San Quentin State Prison into San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, empowering an advisory council comprised of community leaders, prison staff, and program leaders to come up with recommendations to improve conditions. A spokesperson for the California Correctional Health Care Services issued this statement on Tuesday:Advertisement"We are currently investigating cases of a potential gastrointestinal illness at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.

Persons: —, Aaron Ramzy, it's, Ramzy, Luis Sigueras, Marty Zahorik, Zahorik, I've, there's, Gavin Newsom, I'm, CCHCS Organizations: Service, Business, California Correctional Health Care Services, Block, Marin General Hospital, Gov, Quentin Rehabilitation Center, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center Locations: San Quentin, Quentin, California, Marin

☆ Illegal Eviction Complaints Rise As Police Fail to Enforce
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Cecilia Reyes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +44 min

The nature of illegal lockouts means they are hard to track directly. One of the responding officers calls a sergeant over, who says there's nothing else they can do. While only 14% of lockout calls led to a police report, 86% of calls about shoplifting did. As they walk over, one of the officers tells the other to look up "illegal lockout" on his phone. A 2006 bill that would have defined illegal lockouts for all Illinois residents was defeated.

Persons: Alfred Perry, He'd, Perry, Dan Wright, Perry didn't, Wright, Bridget Bennett, Dan hadn't, I'd, he'd, Charlie Bliss, Matthew Desmond, Lockouts, Jersey City's, haven't, he's, David Leibowitz, Leibowitz, —, Pretium —, Kristi DesJarlais, Siegel, Sean Thueson , , Thueson, Blackstone, lockouts, Pretium, Katherine Kelly, RealPage, Jennifer Bowcock, William Prosser ,, they're, Donna Rossi, Sara Heymann, Meghan Aguilar, Misty Skinner, Skinner, Levi Wilhelm, It's, hasn't, I've, Wilhelm, they'd, Jeffrey Uno, Deirdre Orange, isn't, Daniel Benavidez, Jenny Chavez, criminalizing, Rob Bonta, Eric Carter, John Bartlett, Carter, Fred Fuchs, Steve Cohen, Michael Bennet, Sarah Saadian, Douglas Farrar, Kelly, Fuchs, Heymann, who've Organizations: Labor, Chrysler, Social Security, Business, North Las Vegas Police Department, Child Protective Services, Las Vegas Justice, Atlanta Legal, Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta, Supreme, Department of Housing, Los Angeles Police Department, Houston —, Arizona, Housing Association, Invitation Homes, Siegel, Siegel Group, Blackstone ., Progress, Homes, Union, city's Housing Department, Miami, Police, Houston, Houston Police Department, Phoenix, Criminal, Chicago, Chicago Department, LAPD, Records, Jersey City, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Las Vegas Metro Police, Legal, Foundation of Los, Phoenix Police Department, Fulton County Marshal's Department, Avondale Police Department, Avondale Police, Metropolitan Tenants Organization, Texas Justice Court, Court Training Center, Illinois, National Weather Service, Democratic, Senate, Income Housing Coalition, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, AGs Locations: Las Vegas, Detroit, Vegas, United States, Perry's, Princeton, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, South Chicago, Phoenix, Jersey, New Jersey, Jersey City, Houston, Nevada, . Texas, Harris County, Texas, Arizona, Washington, city's, Atlanta , Miami, California, New York City, Spring Valley, Spring Valley , Nevada, Las, Foundation of Los Angeles, Avondale , Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia , Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, In Connecticut , Massachusetts, Minnesota , New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Illinois

☆ Welcome to the new Fightertown USA: Inside San Diego's AI-powered unmanned aircraft boom
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Vishal Persaud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

But the program has since moved to another station, and its legacy in San Diego is a faint, fond memory. AdvertisementWith such a rich history of aerial dynamism, it's no surprise that San Diego has become a major hub of this technology. Defense, AI, and a warming reception from VCsLong before AI became a household buzzword, Shield AI launched in San Diego. AdvertisementBut San Diego seemed to be a better fit with its access to open land and proximity to the ocean. That pipeline continues to feed into the San Diego tech ecosystem, feeding and driving the aerial innovation it has become known for over a century.

Persons: —, Tom Cruise, Larsen Jensen, Palmer Luckey's Anduril, Brandon Tseng, VCs Long, Tseng, Ryan, presciently, Hivemind, It's, shouldn't, Jensen, Ian Muceus, Muceus, we've, Firestorm's, Firestorm, Glenn Curtiss, Grant Jordan, Andreessen Horowitz, — Jordan, Jordan, SkySafe, Tim Draper, Aleksey Matyushev, Matyushev, Oakland — Natilus, Natilus, General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin Organizations: Service, Kawasaki Ninja, hotshot Navy, US Naval Air Station, Business, Navy, Harpoon Ventures, Defense, aha, Navy SEAL, US Department of Defense, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marine Corps, BAT, SpaceX, Marque Ventures, Silent Ventures, US Navy, Soma, Oakland, San Diego International Airport, Brown Field Municipal, Northrop, Lockheed Locations: San Diego, Miramar, Diego's, Diego, Afghanistan, Persian, Israel, Caribbean, Bay, San Diego Bay, West, San Jose, San Francisco, Central Valley, Vallejo, Kona

☆ California put up its fast-food wage to $20. Its governor is adamant it's not causing employment to fall.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But BLS data shows that employment in California's limited-service restaurant industry dips in the winter. Related storiesThe BLS data includes employment at all limited-service restaurants, including those exempt from the new minimum wage. The year-over-year growth in limited-service restaurant employment is a continuation of a trend seen before the pandemic, too, with total employment in the industry growing every year. AdvertisementThe $20 minimum wage was introduced to support workers in a state with a notoriously high cost of living. Have you been affected by California's new $20 minimum wage?

Persons: —, Gavin Newsom, Newsom, Newsom's, Tom Manzo, It's Organizations: Service, Business, California, Industrial Alliance, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Wall Street, California Employment Development Department, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Locations: California, USA

☆ AI drive-thru ordering is on the rise — but it may take years to iron out its flaws
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The drive-thru menu at a McDonald's restaurant showing various meal options and promotions, in Buttonwillow in Kern County, California, on 23, 2024. This year, 16% of restaurant operators plan to invest in artificial intelligence, including voice recognition, according to a survey from the National Restaurant Association. Then Covid came, which not only accelerated labor costs but also led to a shift away from dining rooms and toward drive-thru lanes. Then there's Presto Automation , the AI drive-thru technology company which disclosed last year in Securities and Exchange Commission filings that it uses "human agents" in places like the Philippines and India to complete orders. This time, McDonald's likely won't be the first mover.

Persons: Covid, McDonald's, Gee Lefevre, T.D, Cowen, Andrew Charles, That's, Uber, Charles Organizations: National Restaurant Association, IBM, Securities, Exchange Commission, Presto Locations: Buttonwillow, Kern County , California, Philippines, India

☆ Microsoft reaches settlement in California over claims it punished employees for taking protected time off
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft is paying $14.4 million to settle a case in California over allegations that the company retaliated against employees who had taken legally protected time off. Within core Microsoft, women represented 31.2% of the workforce in 2023, up from 27.6% in 2019, according to the company's latest diversity report. Employees have reported feeling worried about retaliation after asking for protected leave, according to the California complaint. As part of the settlement, Microsoft will provide training to direct and second-level managers of staff members in California and to human-resources employees who deal with their bonuses and merit increases. Managers will also be instructed not to consider time off for protected leave when making "impact" decisions.

Persons: Microsoft's, Microsoft didn't, Satya Nadella, Mustafa Suleyman Organizations: Microsoft, Mobile, California's Civil Rights Department, Employees Locations: Barcelona, California, Redmond , Washington

☆ Canada's bold plan to make housing more affordable is showing signs of working — and could be a model for the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Like the American federal government, Canada's national government doesn't have a lot of control over housing policy. Related storiesOverall, the federal push has already been quite successful in changing the housing policy landscape across the country, Moffat said. Over the last several years, an influx of new immigrants, rampant investor speculation, and rapidly rising construction costs have also sent prices up. It would also impose a fine on cities that tolerate "NIMBY" — the anti-development "Not in My Backyard" philosophy — opposition to housing construction. Some American fans of Canada's Housing Accelerator Fund suggest it could be a model for US efforts to incentivize denser and more abundant housing construction.

Persons: i'm, it's, Mike Moffatt, Moffat, —, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Matti Siemiatycki, Siemiatycki, there's, densification, Pierre Poilievre, hasn't, Joe Biden's Organizations: Service, Business, Smart Prosperity, University of Ottawa, Housing, Liberal, Infrastructure Institute, University of Toronto's, of Cities, Concordia University, Conservative Party, Investment, Jobs Locations: Canada, Ottawa, British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, California, United States

☆ Oakley founder lists $68 million brutalist home — see inside the concrete compound that looks like a Bond villain's lair
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Jaures Yip | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

James Jannard listed a Beverly Hills compound for $68 million shortly after his record Malibu sale. The Oakley founder recently set a record with a $210 million Malibu mansion sale, surpassing Jay-Z. Jannard's net worth is an estimated $1.3 billion, per Forbes. AdvertisementJust days after making a record-breaking Malibu mansion sale for $210 million, Oakley founder James Jannard is back with another mammoth listing. The sunglasses mogul just put his Beverly Hills cement compound up for sale at $68 million, as first reported by Realtor.com.

Persons: James Jannard, Jay, —, Oakley, Realtor.com, Jannard Organizations: Malibu, Oakley, Forbes, Service, Beverly, Business Locations: Beverly, Malibu

☆ The 15 U.S. states with the highest cost of living for single people—No. 1 isn't California, New York or Hawaii
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

That figure includes estimates for how much a single-person household needs to cover housing, transportation, health care, taxes and other common expenses, as tracked by the MIT Living Wage calculator. At a median of $17,000, housing costs in the 15 most expensive states are nearly double that of the 15 least expensive states. Unsurprisingly, housing costs are higher in states with large cities, like California and New York. Unfortunately, minimum wage won't cover basic expenses in any state, even for states that far exceed the federal minimum hourly wage of $7.25. MIT's Living Wage calculator is based on data from various federal agencies, adjusted for inflation as of December 2023.

Organizations: MIT, Rhode, CNBC Locations: Massachusetts, U.S, West Virginia, Hawaii, California, York, Washington, Colorado, Jersey, Maryland, Oregon, Connecticut, Virginia, Hampshire, Arizona, Georgia, New York, Big

☆ The 5 states with the lowest average cost of gas — and the 5 with the highest
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Talia Lakritz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The American Automobile Association tracks average gas prices in every state. Mississippi has the lowest gas prices with an average cost of $2.937 per gallon. California's gas prices are the highest in the US with an average cost of $4.794 per gallon. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The COVID-19 pandemic caused the price of gas to fall to a national average of $2.258 per gallon in 2020.

Persons: — Organizations: American Automobile Association, Service, US Energy Information Administration, Business Locations: . Mississippi, Ukraine

☆ A stranger fat-shamed me while I was grocery shopping. It taught me a valuable lesson about how I'm perceived.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-29 | by ( Melissa Drake | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. The man who fat-shamed me at a grocery store in Irvine, California, bounced into the store, wearing his too-short shorts and a tank top that revealed his contoured abs. I was shocked when the stranger called out my weightI remember lighting up when I saw this man and greeting him with a huge smile. It was an eye-opening encounterFor nearly four years since that interaction, I've pondered what was different about that day and why my interaction with him was so unlike every other interaction I've had in California. And you better believe I said those exact dreaded words, "You don't need those," to myself while shopping for cookies.

Persons: intently, Melissa Drake, I'd, I've, who've, Sir Fat Shamer, it's Organizations: Service Locations: Irvine , California, California, Midwest

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