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FTC proposes rule that would ban employee noncompete clauses

By The Associated Press The Federal Trade Commission proposed a rule Thursday that would ban U.S. employers from imposing noncompete clauses on workers, a sweeping measure that could make it easier for people to switch jobs and deepen competition for labor across a wide range of industries. The proposed rule would prevent employers from imposing contract clauses that prohibit their employees from joining a competitor, typically for a period of time, after they leave the company. Advocates of the new rule argue that noncompete agreements contribute to wage stagnation because one of ...

Column: Happy New Year

ESCANABA — The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and staff sincerely hope that you had a wonderful Christmas holiday surrounded by good friends and family. May the joy and happiness of the season remain with you throughout the New Year. As we begin 2023, please include Chamber ...

Column: The spirit of giving is alive and well

ESCANABA — “For it is in giving that we receive.” – St. Francis of Assisi While I can’t take credit for the quote, I can say, with confidence, that the spirit of giving is alive and well in our waterfront community. It’s obvious that many people living here truly believe that ...

Column: Even the most effective leaders need to take time to think

ESCANABA — Loren Woerpel passed recently and I have had an opportunity to review some of his many contributions to the community. Mr. Woerpel was very involved in the Delta County Chamber Delta Force Leadership program.  The program has been blessed to have many great leaders that have ...

Company holiday parties are back — but with some restraint

NEW YORK (AP) — Say goodbye to virtual wine tastings, and bust out the karaoke. Love them or hate them, company holiday parties are back — in a toned-down kind of way. After more than two years of working in pajama bottoms and clinking glasses over Zoom, many office workers seem to be yearning for a bit of glamour. The same is true for some front-line workers who saw festivities canceled even as they showed up to work every day during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It just always makes me feel special,” said Shobha Surya, who missed treating herself to a new dress ...

Retail sales drop at start of key holiday shopping season

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans cut back sharply on retail spending last month as the holiday shopping season began with high prices and rising interest rates forcing families, particularly lower income households, to make harder decisions about what they buy. Retail sales fell 0.6% from October to November after a sharp 1.3% rise the previous month, the government said Thursday. Sales fell at furniture, electronics, and home and garden stores. Americans’ spending has been resilient ever since inflation first spiked almost 18 months ago, but the capacity of Americans to continue ...