Economy

Millions of Californians continue to risk COVID-19 infection by showing up in person at work during the pandemic. But the state and federal governments have never required companies to share information about outbreaks with their employees — or to health authorities. More than nine months after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the first shelter-in-place order, a […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom said California could see “a surge on top of a surge arguably on top of a surge" after the holidays.

A small part of almost every paycheck in California goes into the state’s paid family leave program, which allows workers to receive partial pay when they take time off to care for a new child or sick family member. But many people don’t take leave because the law doesn’t ensure they can go back to […]

The battle has begun over billions of dollars allegedly stolen during the pandemic, pitting state officials against a web of scammers and their own private contractors. With another stimulus bill poised to inject more cash into a leaky system, taxpayers could be left holding the bag.

As pandemic shutdowns intensify, more than a third of jobs in three California industries that rely on events — sports, performing arts and catering — have already disappeared. And they’ve been slower to recover than the state workforce as a whole.

The stimulus deal does not include aid for state and local governments that Gov. Newsom spent months lobbying for. But he said the cash that will flow to Californians is significant.

As basketball season opens with no fans, Californians who work at ballparks, arenas and stadiums are out of work. For 21 years, Monica Corona has served food and drinks at Oakland Arena during concerts and basketball games, rising in the ranks to concessions lead and even recruiting her three sons to work there.  But since […]

California’s catering businesses were booming. Then the pandemic hit. One caterer who stages high-end parties says she has lost more than 75% of her revenue. Christine McEnery hasn’t “cracked the code” on how to get her business back amid a global pandemic.  After losing every gig she had on the calendar for 2020, the Monterey […]

California’s dancers, musicians and other performers have lost their audience to a pandemic. Some may never return to the stage even when the patrons are back. Marica Kumayama Petrey had put eight months of pre-production work into the live debut for her first album with a new pop/rock band, Girl Swallows Nightingale, planned for March. […]

Amtrak has lost a staggering $800 million, with California’s three routes losing 65-85% of passengers. Service has been cut back substantially.