Economics impacts our lives every day. Below are some of the top storylines from this past week related to economics.
"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." -- Stephen King, author
Companies such as Tyson Foods, Microsoft and Google have each announced in the past week a vaccination mandate among their employees. Other companies, such as Walmart and Uber, have mandated vaccines for white-collar workers, but not those on the frontlines. Many companies are worried that requiring their workers to become vaccinated will give their workers a reason to quit. [The New York Times]
In the 2015 Paris climate agreement, leaders agreed to limit an increase in average temperature to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The report by the UN projects that the world will pass that 2.7-degree target by the mid-2030s with extreme weather becoming more common. [Associated Press]
The 2020 Olympics marked the fourth time that the Japanese have hosted the Olympics. The United States won the medal count and captured more gold medals than any other country. Paris is scheduled to host the 2024 Olympic Games. [Associated Press]
The CDC’s guidance from July recommends that students and faculty wear masks in school buildings regardless of vaccination status, but it’s not a requirement by the Federal Government. That leaves the decisions to states, cities and school districts to decide. [The Wall Street Journal]
Average hourly wages for non-managers are up 7.8 percent since the beginning of the pandemic. However, economists caution that a higher average wage isn’t the same as a $15 minimum wage that has been pushed by workers, politicians and others. The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour. [The Washington Post]
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