Free Republic

Lower-wage retail jobs in particular were among the big gainers as a tighter labor market forced employers to shell out a bit more. After a slow start to 2018 on the pay-raise front, workers in the United States are starting to benefit from the strong economy: Wages across all jobs climbed by 2.2% year over year in July, according to data provided by Glassdoor. "[This] is the fastest wage growth we've seen in more than a year," said Glassdoor Chief Economist Andrew Chamberlain in an email. "As employers raise wages to hire amid low unemployment across the country, it's a...

Leading Democratic lawmakers, returning to the Capitol on Monday after a monthlong summer recess, said they will not let election-year politics stand in the way of passing popular legislation that could potentially boost Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's prospects for re-election. The legislative session will end Aug. 31, meaning that Schwarzenegger will be required in September to sign or veto all bills passed between now and then — during the heart of his re-election campaign against Democratic challenger Phil Angelides. Schwarzenegger has agreed in concept to two politically popular bills sponsored by majority Democrats in the Legislature — one that would...