Become a Patron! I've written before about the FAMILY Act, the leading Democratic initiative in the House and Senate to create a nationwide system of paid family and medical leave like that enjoyed by citizens of virtually every other country in the world. One of the things advocates say when describing the FAMILY Act is that it's based on a "social insurance model." This … [Read more...] about Wage replacement is an important measurement, whether or not it’s good policy
social security
Biden is wrong about Social Security, but so is everybody else
Become a Patron! In a bit of a surprising turn in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses, former Vice President and Delaware Senator Joe Biden has finally come under sustained criticism for his career-long advocacy for cuts to Social Security. I'm not sure why his rivals didn't elevate this criticism earlier, but it's obviously correct: he has advocated and voted for cuts to … [Read more...] about Biden is wrong about Social Security, but so is everybody else
What the media can’t get right about retirement, and why
Become a Patron! A long-time reader passed along an article from the World Economic Forum's blog (yes, for some reason the World Economic Forum has a blog) titled "To retire at 65, American millennials need to save almost half their paycheck." While the article is absolute drivel, it's a good starting point to understand some things the business and financial press gets … [Read more...] about What the media can’t get right about retirement, and why
California’s AB 5 is about benefits, not wages or unions
Become a Patron! I've been following with interest the development and passage of AB 5, California's attempt to end the misclassification of employees, especially at app-based and platform companies including household names like Uber and Lyft. What I found is that there's a high degree of confusion surrounding the need for the bill, whom it will affect and how, and why … [Read more...] about California’s AB 5 is about benefits, not wages or unions
Job protection, wage insurance, and universal benefits
Become a Patron! As readers may have observed, I've been doing a lot of research lately on paid family and medical leave policies around the country, and I've found myself frustrated by the way several different ideas are confusingly and unnecessarily combined. Today I want to spell out the relevant issues, and try to explain how they do and don't interact with each … [Read more...] about Job protection, wage insurance, and universal benefits