Author

Casey Quinlan

Casey Quinlan

Casey Quinlan is an economy reporter for States Newsroom, based in Washington, D.C. For the past decade, Quinlan has reported on national politics and state politics, LGBTQ rights, abortion access, labor issues, education, Supreme Court news and more for publications including The American Independent, ThinkProgress, New Republic, Rewire News, SCOTUSblog, In These Times and Vox.

Student debt relief scams on the rise. Here’s what borrowers need to know.

By: - October 2, 2023

Complaints about student debt relief scams are increasing as borrowers restart payments on their student loans after more than a three-year pause. Consumer protection advocates say that the Biden administration’s student debt relief efforts, the subsequent halting of those policies by the courts, and the restart of student loan payments have bred confusion that allow […]

ustomer is rung up by a cashier in a Kroger grocery store

Millions more workers would receive overtime pay under proposed Biden administration rule

By: - September 8, 2023

Salaried workers who have been ineligible for overtime pay would benefit from a proposed Biden administration regulation. The U.S. Department of Labor’s new rule would require employers compensate full-time workers in management, administrative, or other professional roles for any overtime worked if they make less than $55,068 annually. Currently, the salary threshold is $35,568. The […]

Job growth exceeds economists’ expectations as unemployment inches up

By: - September 1, 2023

The labor market is stable and healthy, economists and policy experts say, although the unemployment rate ticked up in the month of August. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report released Friday showed that unemployment rose to 3.8% in August from 3.5% in July. Meanwhile the economy added 187,000 jobs, above expectations of 170,000 jobs from […]

Maximus call center workers

Federal call center workers join March on Washington call attention to workplace inequities

By: - August 27, 2023

Call center workers that help Americans navigate the Affordable Care Act marketplace and Medicare demanded more paths for advancement, higher pay and more breaks between calls at this year’s March on Washington. They’re looking to bring government attention to their cause after previous efforts to get the attention of officials with the Department of Labor […]

Advocates, Legislators, And Pregnant Workers Rally On Capitol Hill For The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Pregnant workers have new protections. Here’s what to expect from your boss.

By: - August 25, 2023

Almost two months after workplace accommodations for pregnant workers became law, the rules surrounding what employers can and cannot do have yet to be finalized — but that doesn’t mean the protections are not in place. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed regulations are expected to offer more clarity once finalized, but workers can still […]

shopper at the seafood counter at a grocery store

Consumers seeing relief in some food prices as inflation continues to slow

By: - August 11, 2023

Consumers are getting some relief from higher prices as core inflation, which excludes food and energy, continues to show signs of cooling — an encouraging sign for the U.S. economy, according to economists. The Department of Labor’s report on Thursday showed the consumer price index rose 0.2% in July, in line with expectations, and 3.2% […]

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris

VP Kamala Harris unveils new wage rule for federal projects

By: - August 8, 2023

Construction workers who work on federal projects are poised to receive better wages and worker protections under a Department of Labor rule touted by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday. Speaking at a union hall in Philadelphia, Harris praised the Biden administration’s economic agenda and pointed out that the new rule would be the first […]

UPS worker delivers packages on his route in New York City

Teamsters-UPS reach ‘game-changing’ labor deal to avert strike

By: - July 25, 2023

UPS and its workers, represented by the Teamsters, reached a tentative deal on Tuesday to prevent an Aug. 1 strike of 340,000 union members at the package carrier. A work stoppage could have cost the U.S. economy billions by disrupting supply chains and upending distribution to large and small businesses, hospitals and homes. Representatives of […]

Democrats call for raising FDIC insurance limits at Senate hearing

By: - July 21, 2023

WASHINGTON DC — Members of the Senate banking committee explored the pros and cons of reforming deposit insurance on Thursday, which has been a topic of debate among policymakers since the aftermath of bank collapses earlier this year. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, insures each depositor for up to $250,000 — a fact […]

Kristen Chapman

Harm of anti-LGBTQ laws includes economic pain for communities, families

By: - July 18, 2023

Roberto Che Espinoza had been thinking about leaving Tennessee after the 2024 election, but in June they noticed that the state attorney general was seeking medical records on gender-affirming medical care, which Espinoza, a nonbinary transgender man, said included their own records. “Being on any kind of list … I knew after the release of […]

A company advertises a help wanted sign

Economy adds more jobs in June even as hiring slows

By: - July 9, 2023

Although hiring inched down in June, the U.S. labor market is still showing signs of strength, with unemployment falling and earnings continuing to rise, the latest jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor showed. The economy added 209,000 jobs as the unemployment rate fell to 3.6% from 3.7% in May. “In excess of 200,000, […]

Domino’s Pizza location

States, cities turn to community organizations to battle wage theft 

By: - June 30, 2023

About five years ago, most of Minneapolis’ Subway, Little Caesars and McDonald’s franchise restaurants did not comply with city wage standards. Now workers at each of the locations that violated the law receive the required minimum wage and time off when they’re sick. This is all thanks to a co-enforcement program, where the city’s labor […]