New study indicates raising California’s minimum wage has not cost jobs
Ahead of a ballot measure to add $2 to the hourly minimum wage, studies show fast food jobs increased after the state bumped hourly pay…
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Drivers for Lyft and Uber are building a national movement
From Chicago to San Jose, California, rideshare drivers are working together for higher pay, safer work and better jobs. By Tatiana Walk-Morris This story is…
Newsom vetoes farmworker heat safety bill as state enforcement has fallen
The bill would have made it easier to file heat-related workers’ compensation. A Capital & Main investigation found field safety inspections fell 30% in seven…
Lessons for breaking the poverty cycle
A national nonprofit uses financial and life coaching to teach low-income parents how to move up to living wages and beyond. By Mark Kreidler Capital…
Still waiting for Kaiser’s plan to fix its mental health care shortfalls
Kaiser and regulators are two months away from their deadline for a required action plan to overhaul mental health treatment at the state’s largest health…
Will Harris go after Big Oil?
The candidate has kept her climate policy vague so far, but her record as a prosecutor gives climate activists hope. By Marcus Baram, Capital &…
‘I’m not going to live with dementia; dementia is going to live with me’
California program helps patients navigate the complexity of early Alzheimer’s and dementia care. By George B. Sánchez-Tello, Capital & Main This story is produced by…
California’s low wage future
Low-wage industries are forecast to lead job growth, and the share of workers 55 and older has doubled. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main This…
Prefab temporary housing might soon shelter unhoused Californians
Small, less-expensive readymade homes could buy time as the state continues to struggle with homelessness and high building costs. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main…
Fire season’s front-line workers get organized
Firefighters credit a perfect storm of more fires, low wages and dangerously high turnover rates for the trend. By Nathan Pipenberg, Capital & Main This…
Recognizing the economic need for California’s undocumented immigrants
A new study finds 1.6 million undocumented workers created 1.25 million jobs and produced 5% of the state’s GDP. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main…
California’s home costs have run away from working-class residents
Multiple efforts to boost housing construction are meant to bring home ownership back within reach. Meanwhile, workers can’t keep up. By Mark Kreidler, Capital &…
Crime, punishment and finding redemption through writing
Serving a life sentence, an incarcerated journalist has launched two prison newspapers and helped fellow inmates find self-worth and purpose. By D. Razor Babb This…
Plans to extend and expand Trump-era tax cuts would largely benefit the wealthy
Though most Americans think the rich don’t pay their fair share, conservatives still want to lower their taxes. By Marcus Baram, Capital & Main In…
Young artists worry about a future supplanted by Artificial Intelligence
California young adults probe the conflict between bots and humans in their podcast “The Creative Code.” By Yuri Nagano, Capital & Main This story is…
Detained immigrants lose a lifeline as ICE ends free phone time program
Expensive per-minute fees make calls unaffordable for many migrant detainees, who can earn as little as $1 a day working in ICE facilities. By Kate…
Healthy food choices need more than new recipes
Group cooking and exercise classes help low-income Californians treat chronic conditions. By George B. Sánchez-Tello This story is produced by the award-winning journalism nonprofit Capital…