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<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</a> played it safe this election — deemphasizing politics on Meta's platforms.</li><li>Although Donald Trump has said he would like to put Zuckerberg in jail, that's highly unlikely.</li></ul>Mark Zuckerberg has been burned before. In the elections of 2016 and 2020, Facebook came under intense scrutiny. (And it's still going on: There was a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Supreme Court hearing</a> Wednesday over lingering issues from the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-deposition-sec-facebook-user-data-cambridge-analytica-2022-12">Cambridge Analytica scandal</a>.)In 2024, Zuckerberg and Meta played it safe by trying to stay as far away from the election as possible. No more elaborate efforts to register voters on Facebook. No more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attacks-mark-zuckerberg-in-an-angry-statement-2021-10">$400 million donations to get-out-the-vote efforts</a> like in 2020. No more promoting news pages or Facebook Groups that might do things like organize a large and dangerous rally.Meta nipped the whole thing in the bud by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/threads-twitter-politics-not-the-focus-adam-mosseri-2023-7">tamping down news and political content</a> recommendations across Facebook, Threads, and Instagram. Sure, this was at least in part because user feedback told them we all wanted less political content — but it also happened to be quite convenient for a company that wanted out of the nightmare of continuous controversies anyway.The strategy paid off: On Tuesday, there's little talk of Meta's role in the election. Zuckerberg's would-be grappling partner, Elon Musk, did the exact opposite: He went all-in on Trump with both <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-donald-trump-wealth-campaign-influence-2024-11">his own money and the heft of his social platform</a>. That turned out well for Musk — but it was a risk.So Meta made it through the election without half the country convinced that it helped cause the result. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg is unlikely to be dragged in front of Congress to answer questions about his platform's perceived bias.What a Trump administration means for Meta, well, we'll see. There are some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-presidency-affect-big-tech-2024-11">potential downsides for Big Tech</a> — tariffs could hurt parts of their businesses, for example. And Meta is already facing a variety of legal battles with states. But any possible outcomes — good or bad — are more in the realm of normal ups and downs, not existential reckonings or crises. For Meta, it'll likely be broadly business as usual.As far as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-comments-about-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-feud-history-2024-7">Trump's threat to jail Zuckerberg</a>? I'll eat my hat and Trump's if that actually happens. It was part of the rhetoric from Trump grumbling about the 2020 election outcome. Now that he's won in a clear and decisive way, I think he'll move on.And Zuckerberg, like some other CEOs, seems to have figured out the most effective way to manage Trump: deal with him privately — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-had-undisclosed-dinner-donald-trump-2019-11">Zuckerberg met with Trump</a> at an undisclosed dinner in 2019 — and praise him publicly. After the assassination attempt on Trump in July, Zuckerberg referred to Trump as looking "badass."On Wednesday, Zuckerberg continued to play it safe. He posted a message to Threads congratulating Trump on his win. But he was apparently playing it truly safe: He didn't post his message until two hours after <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/business-leaders-react-donald-trump-winning-election-silicon-valley-2024-11">Jeff Bezos posted a congratulations message</a> of his own.

Mark Zuckerberg played it safe with Donald Trump this election. That strategy worked.

Earlier this month, <keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amazon" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> made headlines for enforcing a strict <keyword id="20408795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="return-to-office" source="keywords">return to office</keyword> mandate on employees starting next year. Until now, Amazon employees were required to come to office for three days a week but from next year, the employees will have to work from offices for all five days. The move had sparked backlash from various employees who took to social media to express that they work better in a hybrid or remote setup. Now, at a recent event, <keyword id="19974102" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Web-Services" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon Web Services" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon Web Services">Amazon Web Services</keyword> CEO <keyword id="21187658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Matt-Garman" source="keywords">Matt Garman</keyword> talked about the company's <keyword id="23712741" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTO-mandate" source="keywords">RTO mandate</keyword> and said that if it doesn't work for some employees, they can always "find another company." <h2>"Find another company" </h2> Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live event, Garman said that according to him, in-office work plays a critical role in driving innovation and operational efficiency. Citing interactions like impromptu chats in hallways, quick brainstorms on whiteboards, and casual discussions over coffee, he said that in-person collaboration brings advantages that remote settings can’t replicate. However, Garman also acknowledged that the mandate might not sit well with everyone, and that is okay. He said, “If it’s not for you, then that’s okay – you can go and find another company if you want.” This statement, as per a CNBC report, comes amid internal debate, with many employees voicing concerns about losing the flexibility they’ve become accustomed to, which some say enables them to balance their work and personal lives better. The report adds that around 37,000 employees have joined an internal Slack channel that advocates for <keyword id="20665553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="remote-work" source="keywords">remote work</keyword>. On a related note, Garman had talked about Amazon's new policy over a week back as well. While speaking at an all-hands meeting as per a Reuters report, he had addressed potential concerns from those who might find the mandate challenging. Garman said that while most employees he spoke with supported the change, he recognised it might not suit everyone. "If there are people who just don't work well in that environment and don't want to, that's okay, there are other companies around," he had said and added, "By the way, I don't mean that in a bad way. We want to be in an environment where we're working together." <h2>When Amazon defended its RTO mandate </h2> Garman isn't the only Amazon employee who has advocated <keyword id="20294959" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-from-office" source="keywords">work from office</keyword>. A couple of days back, a report in The Information revealed that Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Tech at Amazon, defended the RTO mandate. Galetti said that younger employees are eager to benefit from in-person mentorship and have been asking to work from office. Speaking at The Information’s Women in Tech, Media, and Finance conference, Galetti explained that many junior staff members expressed a desire for face-to-face interaction with colleagues. She also said that the new policy reflects a return to Amazon’s previous work culture, where there was flexibility for personal matters but office attendance remained the norm.

'Find another company if it doesn’t work for you’: Amazon Web Services CEO on work from office mandate

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A work-life balance is a priority for many.</li><li>It's generally thought of as the balance between time at work and personal time.</li></ul>The pursuit of a work-life balance is at the heart of so many workplace conversations.It's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-workers-want-flexibility-fair-pay-survey-2024-5">what many Gen Zers want</a> from their jobs, and what workers cling to as their employers ask them to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-requiring-return-to-office-rto-mandate">return to the office</a>.It has generally become known as the balance between time at work and time off. But we should rethink that, according to some workplace specialists.People all work differently, and suggesting the best way to achieve equilibrium is to log off at 5 p.m. could be shortsighted and outdated."I don't think work-life balance exists," Dilan Gomih, the founder and CEO of the workplace performance and wellness consultancy Dilagence, told Business Insider. "It should be, How do you find time to strategically recharge?"<h2 id="29b08831-b634-46ae-825a-8d558c7ddf4f">The work-life unicorn</h2>Jeff Bezos talked about his dislike for the phrase "work-life balance" in 2021, calling it "debilitating" and telling employees that they should <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-work-life-balance-debilitating-phrase-career-circle-2021-7">think of work and life as a circle</a>. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-who-hate-phrase-work-life-balance-prefer-alternative-views-2023-11">Other CEOs have opinions, too</a>, often favoring a different approach.In an interview at Vox's Code Conference in 2016, Bezos <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTYFEgXaRbU">said</a>: "I find that when I am happy at work, I come home more energized. I'm a better husband, a better dad, and when I'm happy at home, I come in a better boss, a better colleague."Some might say it's easy for billionaire bosses to say hours don't matter and that it's how energized you feel by work that counts.However, provided work doesn't overtake all of your personal time, there may be some wisdom in rethinking the definition of work-life balance.Veronica West, a psychologist with a master's in public health and the founder of My Thriving Mind, told BI that work-life balance is "the elusive unicorn we're all trying to catch.""It used to mean dividing work time and personal time into neat, equal slices," she said. "But let's be honest, life rarely plays nice like that."A better way to think of it might be a "work-life rhythm," she said, which is not based on counting hours but a "feeling that both work and life energize rather than drain you."Logging off at 5 p.m. every day isn't achievable for everyone, so it's beneficial to find a flow where work doesn't exhaust you so that you have time for hobbies, exercise, downtime, socializing, and family time."The trick is learning how to balance energy, not just time, so you're surviving and enjoying each part of your day," West said. "Because, honestly, if we're dragging through one area to show up in another, where's the fun in that?"<h2 id="cd2d4065-5715-4f2c-a851-79caf4560308">Finding your 'golden hour'</h2>Gomih said there's a general perception that well-being means disengagement, and this is "a really binary view" that should be reconsidered.Rather, people should think about when their "golden hour" is, she said, describing it as when "your brain is totally on or when you are doing your most creative thinking.""My golden hour is probably between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. I also know somebody's golden hour to be 7 p.m. to midnight," Gomih said.Women can feel particularly conflicted about balancing their careers and time off, especially when working outside normal hours is met with judgment."Senior women leaders who happen to be caregivers of some manner, shape, or form, they have a lot on their plates," added Gomih. For them, working irregular hours may suit them better."It's knowing your own settings, when to turn off and when to turn on," Gomih said. "Spending time with my family fills my cup in some way, and being good at my job fills my cup in some way, and these things are very much reinforcing of each other."Breese Annable, a licensed clinical psychologist and career coach, told BI achieving a balance means aligning your personal life and career with your values and strengths."It's not just a split of hours; it's a way of living where all parts of life, including work, mirror who you are and what matters most," she said."Of course, this is an ideal — it won't ever be perfect," Annable said. "But it's a consistent vision to guide the decisions you make in both life and work."West said some days are going to need more work, and others will need more life. The key is to aim for harmony, she said, not perfection

It's time to rethink what work-life balance really means

Discussions around <keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">work-life balance</keyword> have been around since forever and when <keyword id="20231207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-from-home" source="keywords">work from home</keyword> became a norm in 2020, these talks intensified. Soon, people across the globe realised how work from home could save a lot of time and money for them. As a result, they get to spend more time focusing on things apart from work. In India too, work-life balance has been a hot topic for a long time. Earlier this year, a study by the UKG Workforce Institute revealed that nearly 78% of employees in India suffer from job burnout, which often results in both physical and emotional fatigue. Around 64% of these workers were willing to reduce their workload even if it meant a corresponding pay cut. This highlighted a growing awareness among employees about the value of maintaining a <keyword id="22783879" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthy-work-life-balance" source="keywords">healthy work-life balance</keyword>, with many choosing to prioritize well-being over monetary benefits. <h2><keyword id="20830500" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bengaluru-man" source="keywords">Bengaluru man</keyword>'s photo goes viral</h2> Despite this, India was recently reported to rank 48th in the 2024 Global Life-Work Balance Index, reflecting the challenges faced by employees in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. And a Bengaluru man’s recent <keyword id="20384549" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="viral-photo" source="keywords">viral photo</keyword> has once again stirred work-life balance discussions in the country. A photograph of a man working on his laptop while standing outside a popular momo stall in Bengaluru took the internet by storm on Tuesday. The photo, shared by X user Kritika Kumari, quickly went viral, capturing the attention of many who found humour in the situation but also sparked deeper conversations about the pressures faced by <keyword id="21460912" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="corporate-employees" source="keywords">corporate employees</keyword>. Kumari captioned the photo, “His priorities are sorted.” The photo shows the techie engrossed in his laptop, seemingly unfazed by his surroundings. The post resonated with many, leading to a flood of comments that ranged from witty remarks to relatable anecdotes. <div type="image" title="Bengaluru man&amp;#39;s photo goes viral" msid="112516540" hostid="261" sizebytes="2145538" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Bengaluru man&amp;#39;s photo goes viral&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Work-life balance in India a myth, says internet</h2>X users reacted to the photo and talked about the man's plight. One user humorously summed up the scene as, “Corporate employee,” while another quipped, “Pyaar se jyada, kaam pyara,” highlighting the often-overwhelming work demands that many in the <keyword id="19955787" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tech-industry" source="keywords">tech industry</keyword> face. "The so-called "work-life" balance is a myth! It should really be called "hand-laptop" balance," another user wrote. <div type="twitter" handle="manojrmenon" handlename="manojrmenon" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1823207147599184281"></div> The jokes didn’t stop there; some users playfully imagined the man’s predicament, suggesting that he might have forgotten his phone at the office and was now transferring money to the momo vendor via net banking on his laptop. While the image and its accompanying jokes provided light-hearted entertainment, they also highlighted the growing concern about the intense work culture in the tech sector, where employees often find themselves working outside traditional office hours and settings. As one user lamented, “Ek labor karega bhi kya? Apne ghar ja kar English jhaadega. ‘I am audible? My screen is visible or not?’ (What will a laborer do? He will go back home and flaunt his English, saying, ‘I am audible? Is my screen visible or not?’).”

'Work-life balance is a myth’: Photo of man working in front of momo stall goes viral, Internet reacts

<ul><li>An X user says she has a friend in <keyword id="19895622" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Microsoft" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Microsoft" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Microsoft">Microsoft</keyword> who works 15-20 hours per week</li><li>The employee plays <keyword id="20303301" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="League-of-Legends" source="keywords">League of Legends</keyword> for most of the time</li><li>The user's post has over 2 million views</li></ul> Every person has a unique working style. While one employee could take hours in finishing a job, other could complete the same task in much lesser time. And in the recent times, ever since debates about <keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">work-life balance</keyword> have taken centre stage, many people are talking about how being productive has nothing to do with the number of hours an employee puts in to complete a job. An X user, in a recent post, shared that she has a friend working at Microsoft who works for only 15-20 hours per week and plays League (of Legends) for the rest of the time. The post has now gone viral and people are dropping a mix of hilarious and serious comments. While one user asked if there are any openings, another commented that as long as the work is getting done, this shouldn’t be a problem. <h2>X user’s viral post </h2> In the post, the user wrote, “talking to my friend who works at microsoft &amp; apparently he works 15-20 hr weeks &amp; plays league the rest of the time &amp; gets paid $300k for it” The post, at the time of writing this story, has 2 million views. As mentioned already, people are reacting to the news and are wondering if they too, can land such a job. “What are the reqs for this job and any open positions?,” a user wrote while another commented, “Dream job lol I'd love 20 hours a week over 40 so much.” Other users, meanwhile, mentioned that there’s nothing wrong with this if the person can complete the task assigned to them. “If they can do the same work in 20 hours that someone else doing the same job would need 40 to achieve — then I don't see the issue,” a user said. Another user wrote, “Most CEOs would love a person who got results and hit the mark - no matter how many or few hours they work.” Another user was all praises for League of Legends players and said, “I’ve met so many people like that... in league... they always seem very smart though, and are very high rank... so maybe they're 10x engineering gods who don't need to work a lot like us peasants” <h2><keyword id="22902800" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-employee" source="keywords">Amazon employee</keyword> who gets paid to do nothing </h2> This isn’t the first time that a techie has been in the limelight for getting paid more to do less. Last month, an <keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> worker was making headlines for saying that he gets paid Rs 3 crore a year for practically doing nothing. The employee, who has been with Amazon for a year and a half, shared his story on Blind, an anonymous platform. They revealed that after being laid off from <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="google" source="keywords">Google</keyword>, they joined Amazon with a deliberate intention to do as little work as possible while still drawing a significant paycheque. The strategy, the employee claims, involved performing the bare minimum necessary to avoid raising any red flags with his managers. "I joined Amazon 1.5 years ago after being laid off from Google," the employee wrote and added, ”My goal was simple: do nothing, collect a salary, and eventually get placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).”

'Microsoft employee gets $300,000 for working 15-20 hours a week’: X user’s post goes viral

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In response to the election loss, Bernie Sanders is blaming Democrats, not Joe Biden.</li><li>Democrats didn't get enough support from the working class, Sanders said.</li></ul>Sen. Bernie Sanders isn't playing the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-blame-joe-biden-kamala-harris-loss-2024-11">blame-Joe-Biden game</a>.In the aftermath of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-wins-presidential-election-race-2024-11">Donald Trump's win in the presidential election</a>, Sanders said the Democrats' loss was the result of losing touch with the working class — a statement that put Democratic leaders on the defensive."The working people of this country are extremely angry. They have a right to be angry," Sanders said on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/bernie-sanders-says-americans-have-a-right-to-be-angry-full-interview-224065093793">"Meet the Press" on NBC News</a> on Sunday. "You got an economy today doing phenomenally well for the people on top. It is not working for the working class. All right? How do we address those issues?"Comments like these from Sanders have drawn the ire of Democratic leaders like former Speaker <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>, who told The New York Times last week that the election outcome may have been different if <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-blame-joe-biden-kamala-harris-loss-2024-11">Biden had left the race sooner</a> and the party had an open primary. In response to Sanders's criticism, Pelosi told the Times that she didn't "respect him saying that the Democrat Party has abandoned the working-class families."Sanders said that Democrats have failed to pass legislation to support workers, especially on issues like raising wages and Social Security benefits."In the Senate, in the last few years, we have not even brought forth legislation to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, despite the fact that some 20 million people in this country are working for less than $15 an hour," he said. "If you're an average working person out there, do you really think that the Democratic Party is going to the mat, taking on powerful special interests and fighting for you? I think the overwhelming answer is no, and that is what has got to change."Sanders also said that Trump responded more strongly to Americans stressed about the economy, even if he gave a "pretty crazy explanation.""What Trump did in this election is to say, 'I know that you're hurting and the reason is you've got millions of people coming across the border illegally. They're eating your dogs,'" Sanders said. "The Democrats need an explanation, and that explanation is corporate greed and the power of the billionaire class. I know that's uncomfortable for people in the Democratic Party, some people, but that is the issue we have to address."

Bernie Sanders says Democrats need to own why they lost the working-class

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Critics of guaranteed basic income often suggest that cash payments discourage work.</li><li>Experts say basic income can help participants afford job training and land higher-paying roles.</li></ul>Taniquewa Brewster is training to be a doula. The mom of five knows both how joyful and overwhelming a baby can be, and she wants to improve birth outcomes for pregnant Texans.While earning her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-am-a-doula-this-is-what-i-do-2022-1">doula</a> certificate, Brewster is working full-time as an assistant property manager at an income-based housing unit. The 39-year-old said she earned the position after being promoted from her role as a leasing agent, a change she said was only possible because of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/universal-basic-income-pros-and-cons">guaranteed basic income.</a>She had previously been patching together <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-make-money-gig-worker-uber-lyft-doordash-delivery-driver-2023-12">low-paying part-time work</a> to get by."I was working as hard as I could, working overtime," Brewster said. "That's keeping me away from my family. That's keeping me away from things that I can be doing — even going back to school — because I have to work so hard to just cover rent."From September 2022 to August 2023, she received $1,000 monthly through <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/austin-basic-income-gbi-ubi-housing-homeless-parenting-rent-texas-2024-2">Austin's UpTogether pilot</a>. The cash payments gave her breathing room: she said the money helped her afford household bills, along with the real estate and doula training she needed to land higher paying jobs.Guaranteed basic income programs are gaining momentum across the US as an approach to poverty reduction. The model offers participants recurring <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/universal-basic-income-ubi">cash payments</a> for a set period of time, with no strings attached. Like in Austin's pilot, many programs are directed at households that live near the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/poverty-line-leaves-behind-low-income-americans-snap-medicare-wic-2024-6#:~:text=The%20current%20federal%20poverty%20line,up%2C%20it%20is%20too%20low.">federal poverty line</a>.Despite GBI's growing popularity with some policymakers and economic security experts, it continues to face opposition. Business Insider has covered basic income bans, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/basic-income-program-lawsuit-houston-texas-ubi-gbi-ken-paxton-2024-9">lawsuits over GBI funding</a>, and criticism that giving people cash <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/universal-basic-income-ubi-dave-ramsey-show-karl-marx-playbook-2024-7">discourages participants from working</a> — one of the most common critiques.Some experts, however, have a different view: Financial support frequently offers participants a leg-up in their careers. This is in line with results from most of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/which-states-cities-have-guaranteed-basic-income-programs-low-income-2024-4">America's GBI pilots.</a>Since the Austin program ended and Brewster started her new role, she estimates her monthly income has increased by over $3,000. She said her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/immigrants-new-mexico-basic-income-for-housing-healthcare-ubi-gbi2024-5">job stability</a> helped her afford essentials like groceries and healthcare, and allowed her to spend more time with her children."I know it's great to have that talent and to know how to do things," she said. "But when you have that certification behind it, it just helps you to move up in the company or in whatever you do."<h2 id="0c19f308-5bbe-47f6-a561-6c5d8e61a435">Basic income critics say cash discourages work</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/universal-basic-income-ubi-ray-dalio-cash-payments-harm-poverty-2024-7">Billionaires</a>, politicians, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/universal-basic-income-ubi-dave-ramsey-show-karl-marx-playbook-2024-7">financial leaders</a> have criticized basic income programs, saying that cash payments could encourage laziness among participants. Others add that having an extra monthly income could <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-17/south-dakota-texas-block-local-universal-basic-income-laws">dissuade people from having a job</a>."Do we just get born and get money from the government?" Arizona State Rep. John Gillette previously told BI. "I think the Founding Fathers would say that is very contrary to our capitalist system and encouraging people to work."Sometimes results do show that participants work fewer hours or drop multiple jobs during their GBI program. For example, in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-basic-income-study-results-2024-7">Illinois and Texas' OpenResearch study</a> — which examined the effects of two GBI programs that were funded by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI — employment rates fell in the second and third years among the participants compared with the control group. The pilot gave 3,000 low-income families $1,000 a month for three years, beginning in 2019.When conducting guaranteed basic income pilots, researchers typically gather data on participant spending, housing outcomes, food access, mental health, job security, and weekly working hours. This data is gathered throughout a program's run and after its conclusion via participant surveys and is often compared to a control group of people not receiving cash payments.Sukhi Samra — the executive director of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a national advocacy network — told BI that measuring employment trends can be challenging because it doesn't capture the individualized benefits of GBI.It may look like participants are working fewer hours or fewer jobs, but often, Samra said those roles are more stable and higher-paying. Although job numbers declined in the OpenResearch case, the average participant income increased, researchers found. The study speculated the income boost could be due to participants having more flexibility over their employment choices."Sometimes being able to work less does have profound impacts for families," Samra said. "Especially when you're talking about parents being able to spend more time with their children, being able to obtain a professional license or degree, or take care of an elderly parent."More than a dozen guaranteed income pilots overseen by Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, like in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stockton-basic-income-experiment-success-employment-wellbeing-2021-3#:~:text=In%20Stockton%2C%20California%2C%20125%20residents,launch%20more%20basic%2Dincome%20pilots.">Stockton</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baltimore-basic-income-parents-afford-housing-get-jobs-ubi-gbi-2024-7#:~:text=Baltimore%20gave%20low%2Dincome%20parents,some%20lawmakers%20are%20fighting%20them.">Baltimore</a>, showed an overall increase in employment among participants. Other pilots, like one in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/denver-basic-income-project-ubi-extended-homelessness-poverty-2024-1">Denver</a>, showed no statistically significant impact on employment rates. Few programs show negative job outcomes.BI has heard anecdotally from participants that cash payments helped them <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/post/preview?svapi&amp;post_id=66ab7d4d6550c8ac4ef862cd">pay for the childcare</a> they needed to be focused at work, leading to promotions. Others said $500 or $1,000 a month was the boost they needed to drop several lower-paying gigs in favor of one <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alabama-basic-income-single-mothers-afford-childcare-bills-birmingham-2024-8">higher-paying full-time job</a>, or reduce their working hours so they could pursue higher education or job training. Some leave their jobs to start <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-basic-income-study-results-starting-a-business-2024-7#:~:text=OpenResearch's%20study%20gave%20monthly%20stipends,essentials%20and%20considered%20starting%20businesses.">their own small businesses</a>."The benefits of that sort of compound over time, and aren't really captured in the nuances of the data," Samra said.Still, guaranteed basic income programs reflect short-term results. There is limited research on participant job outcomes in the months and years after their payments end. Participant employment — or unemployment — might also be impacted by outside factors, like the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hiring-picks-up-in-fall-low-openings-hurting-job-seekers-2024-9">changing labor market</a>, a person's family situation, or shifts to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-cost-of-living-what-is-middle-class-housing-market-2024-4">local cost of living</a>. Most GBI participants need to continue working to make ends meet.<h2 id="7292fcde-172d-457c-9073-cb15b2dc5747">Participants say basic income helped them afford job training, land higher-paying roles</h2>Cepia Harper, 41, just began her second year as a middle school English teacher. Her favorite lesson to teach is essay writing, helping students learn how to craft the perfect thesis statement.Harper began teaching shortly after enrolling in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/georgia-basic-income-afford-rent-daycare-single-mom-ubi-gbi-2024-6">Georgia-based guaranteed basic income program</a>, In Her Hands. The program offered 650 participants — who were all low-income Black women — $20,400 over two years, ending in spring 2024.Along with helping cover <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-orleans-guaranteed-basic-income-supports-opportunity-youth-school-work-2024-9">household bills and unexpected expenses</a>, Harper said the money allowed her to get her education credentials. She had previously been cobbling together a couple of retail jobs to make ends meet."I've never had it where I could just go home to my own kids, pick them up from practice," she said. "They all play sports, and I could never leave work to go to a game."More predictable hours means Harper can spend more time with her family. Her annual income has risen by about $13,000 since she began teaching, she said, so she no longer has to work multiple jobs.And, as participants use their cash payments to build careers, Asya Howlette said they are more likely to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-orleans-guaranteed-basic-income-supports-opportunity-youth-school-work-2024-9">boost local economies</a>. As the director of the New Orleans Mayor's Office of Youth and Families, Howlette has noticed the trend in her own city, where she helped oversee a recent GBI program focused on teenagers and young adults disconnected from work and school."It's improving our economy because all of the money that these young people were using is going right back into our economy," she previously told BI. "It's not like they're sitting on a lot of cash, they're spending it right back in our grocery stores, they're putting it right back in our small businesses."While GBI isn't meant to serve as a paycheck replacement, Samra said can be a financial safety net: "We are allowing folks to stabilize and to then plan for the future," she added.Being able to afford training for more lucrative jobs in real estate and maternal care gave Brewster — the mother of five — financial confidence."It really motivated me," she said of her GBI program. "Because I knew that, once the money stopped, what would I do afterward?"Have you participated in a guaranteed basic income program? Are you open to sharing your experience? If so, reach out to this reporter at <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:allisonkelly@businessinsider.com">allisonkelly@businessinsider.com</a>.

The basic income myth: cash discourages work

Even if you don't recognize Scoot McNairy's name, you almost certainly recognize his face.The 46-year-old actor has shared the screen with Hollywood greats like Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck and has been directed by auteurs like Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher. He's popped up in Oscar winners ("Argo," "12 Years a Slave"), superhero movies ("Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"), and your favorite prestige TV series ("True Detective," "Narcos: Mexico," "Halt and Catch Fire"). McNairy is "that guy" — and that's the way he likes it."I feel like the further down you are on the call sheet, the more of a character you can play," he tells Business Insider.It might feel like McNairy is everywhere these days — he currently stars opposite James McAvoy in Universal's horror remake <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/speak-no-evil-remake-vs-original-scoot-mcnairy-2024-9">"Speak No Evil,"</a> and will be seen next in "Nightbitch" with Amy Adams, out this December — but there was a time when he worried he'd never work again. It was a big enough fear twelve years ago that McNairy left Hollywood entirely and headed back to his native Texas to wait out a professional dry spell."Essentially, I quit," McNairy explains. At the time, he had two breakthrough roles in the can — "Killing Them Softly," opposite Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, and James Gandolfini, and "Argo" — but neither had been released yet, meaning more offers weren't yet rolling in as a result. In the long wait to get noticed, he was running out of money."I didn't want to go back to doing commercials at that time. I'd been doing it for a decade," he says. "I wanted something new."That meant decamping to Texas, where he planned to get licensed and become a contractor while figuring out his next move.Eventually, "Argo" was released and went on to win an Oscar, and McNairy did, of course, work again. His next role after that dry period, in the Guy Pearce and Robert Patison dystopian Western "The Rover," was the first part he'd ever been offered without auditioning first. He found out about the "Argo" Oscar win while filming "The Rover" in the Australian Outback.<div type="image" title="Alix West Lefler, Scoot McNairy, and Mackenzie Davis in &quot;Speak No Evil&quot; (2024)" height="5504" width="8256" msid="113915192" hostid="261" sizebytes="5779588"></div>More than a decade later and with an even longer list of credits to his name, that period of professional uncertainty still informs McNairy's worldview. "I feel like I'm still trying to break through," he says."It's this weird feeling that all actors get, and I think a lot of artists get," he continues. "You truly do feel like you're never going to work again because you've seen it happen where people just kind of stop working."While moderately terrifying, that attitude can also be freeing, and McNairy has used it to take big swings and fully immerse himself in his work. Because when every role might be your last, you might as well push yourself outside your comfort zone.For the latest interview in BI's<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/role-play-series"> "Role Play" series</a>, McNairy discusses working with Quentin Tarantino, how his partner Sosie Bacon helped him completely rework his performance as Amy Adams' husband in "Nightbitch," and why he didn't really mind that no one was watching "Halt and Catch Fire."<h2 id="12f8d0b9-3c82-4e31-b9d2-53db14a3887b">On having an 'eye-opening experience' with fame and why he won't read reviews</h2><div type="image" title="Scoot McNairy in &quot;Killiing Them Softly&quot;" height="800" width="1067" msid="113915179" hostid="261" sizebytes="18052"></div>You had been working consistently for awhile before your breakthrough performances in "Killing Them Softly" and "Argo," both of which came out in 2012, and you did a ton of press for both. What did it feel like to suddenly get that recognition?It's funny you mentioned that. I stopped reading reviews after "Midnight Kiss." I had a review that was probably positive, but there was something in it that took me aback.Since then I vowed, from 2008 on, to just focus on the work and never read your reviews. It's sort of irrelevant what other people think about you. Just keep your head down and focus on the work and don't change what you're doing based on other people's opinions. And so I sort of stuck with that.I don't know what was really said about me on that project during that time.You still don't read reviews even now, just as a rule?No. My partner, the amazing and lovely and talented Sosie [Bacon], she just told me [about "Speak No Evil"], "The reviews are really good, and you would be very happy." But she doesn't read them to me. She looks through all of them, but she doesn't read them to me.And of course no one's going to tell you, "You were awful in the movie, and everyone's saying it." They just don't say anything, so you don't hear that.Did becoming more recognizable after 2012 — becoming "that guy," in a way — change your lifestyle at all? Did it change your state of mind?No, and I thought it would. I really did. I think that that was a big eye-opening experience for me. It felt like, "Oh, if I could just have these things or accomplish these things, I would feel different or feel better." And I think right around that time, probably in the release of "Argo" and "Killing Them Softly" and all those things, I didn't. I felt the same.<h2 id="8fc26057-7d29-4520-b818-5a4b8f5c490c">On Quentin Tarantino's obscure film taste and how his partner helped him retool his 'Nightbitch' performance</h2><div type="image" title="Scoot McNairy making a scared expression in &quot;Nightbitch.&quot;" height="1134" width="1512" msid="113915177" hostid="261" sizebytes="29582"></div>You have a small part in "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." You've <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://collider.com/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-interview-scoot-mcnairy/">mentioned</a> in the past that Quentin Tarantino has a really unique on-set style. What exactly was particular about working with him?He's just super entertaining. Everyone in the film business loves movies. It's why we all work in this industry.But to see someone who loves films more than anybody on the whole set, knows more about films and storytelling and the business and the history than anyone else on set, it's like a crash course or a masterclass of every subject you could take on film.I was really quiet on that set. I was just watching him and listening to him and sort of a little bit mesmerized by the encyclopedia that he could just turn up at any moment. He was dropping people's names that had two lines and a guest star role in a TV show from the '70s. It was just incredible how knowledgeable he is, but also how talented he is, and such a great filmmaker.I was over the moon to get that job. I mean, I'd have held Quentin Tarantino's coffee if he'd have just let me be around set and listened to him talk. I remember the auditioning process. I sent in a tape, and all the feedback I got was, "Wow, he really, really likes it, but he's got somebody else in mind for the role." All good. I never thought I was going to get the part to begin with. And then it wasn't until two weeks before I shot that they called and said, "Hey, they're booking you." And I was, "What? What? No way." And then I didn't really meet Quentin until the day I got to work.Would you want to reunite with Quentin?If Quentin would have me on anything that he's doing, he'd say, "Jump," and I'd say, "How high?"I saw "Nightbitch" at TIFF and I was surprised by your character. He was much more nuanced than I expected given the trailer, which felt a little bit more humorous than the movie actually was. Have you seen the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=918prRymA-U">trailer</a>?I have seen the trailer, yeah. But it's hard for me, because I'd seen the film before I saw the trailer, so it was hard for me to separate. I was like, "Oh, well, those are clips from the movie." But I did hear that from a couple people that the trailer could be misleading.Was it a delicate balancing act for you to both develop your character and make him feel like a real relatable guy while also holding the space for Amy to own this movie?I've seen almost every single one of Amy's movies. I've been watching her since the day I moved to California. She's a phenomenal, ferocious — feral, I should say — actor. It was intimidating at first to work with her, but she's so approachable and so kind and such a giving actor that all that went away after the first couple days.<div type="image" title="Sosie Bacon and Scoot McNairy" height="683" width="911" msid="113915183" hostid="261" sizebytes="48846"></div>But in regards to my part in that film, I have to give a lot of credit to obviously Mari [Heller], the filmmaker, who I had extensive conversations with about parenthood and relationships and children, as well as with Amy. I got so much insight from them as mothers on their experiences.But I have to give a lot of credit to my lovely, amazing partner Sosie, who really broke down why all this is so infuriating for a mom or a woman. She helped me with being kind with the character, being aloof with the character, being genuine with the character, but also teeing up Amy for these certain scenes or certain lines where you can say something that just makes a mom go, "Oh, how could you?"And those things, as a man, you can't see the humor in it as much. I had a different approach to this character, and Sosie sat me down and was like, "No, no, no, no. I'm telling you, you need to pay attention to these things." I think that led to the performance being the way that it was.<h2 id="70a751bf-3b68-4f5e-a4b5-4a88209055f7">On why he wasn't bothered that no one watched 'Halt and Catch Fire' and why he loves character acting</h2><div type="image" title="Scoot McNairy in &quot;Halt and Catch Fire&quot;" height="2832" width="3776" msid="113915187" hostid="261" sizebytes="426672"></div>"Halt and Catch Fire" is one of the most underrated shows of all time. Did it ever frustrate you that it didn't get more recognition when it was airing?No, no. Look, I loved [creators] Chris Rogers and Chris Cantwell. They were two or three years younger than me. They're incredibly smart. I loved these guys. I loved working with them. I loved the show so much.People were like, "No one's watching." Our ratings were down so low that we were like the lowest-rated show to ever get picked up for another season. And I knew the ratings were bad, but there was a sense on set too that's like, "Well, let's try this, or let's do that. No one's watching. We can have some more freedom with it."But no. That part of it's out of my control — the box office, the general public. It's so out of my control. I hope that it turns out great, but I don't give it a lot of thought or a lot of time.You've spoken in the past about being unsure which path you wanted to take with your career: character actor or leading man. Was there ever a time that you felt particularly at that crossroads? Kind of like, "If I had taken that role or done that audition or turned down this thing, my career would've been completely different"?That's a great question, and I don't know. We'll never know. I know that what's best for me, or what I was going after, is I love being number two or three on the call sheet. I love it.That being said, leading man roles, I've done some, I love them, all based on what that story is or what that lead character is doing. But I like playing number three or four just because you have a little bit more room to stretch a character, make them a little bit more outlandish, push the envelope a little bit more. Like in "12 Years a Slave," I really threw that character at the wall, and I couldn't believe that it stuck. I couldn't believe that they liked it and they wanted it.A lot of these auditions I went into earlier, I never thought I would get them. I had a long period of time of the studio saying no to me. When a filmmaker wanted me, the studio would be like, "No, bring this to somebody else." That went on for a really long time.So around this time period, I started throwing stuff at the wall. That role in "Killing Them Softly," I was just messing around and playing. And then they wanted a callback, and I was like, "I have no idea what I did! I never thought I was going to come back for this."Those types of characters and character acting are definitely something I'd much more lean into, and I'm hoping in the future to get deeper character roles that allow me to really challenge myself and stretch myself to more uncomfortable places. Because it's really comfortable knowing you can lay something down in an audition with the thought of, "I'm never going to get it anyways. No one's ever going to see this. Who cares?"But to do it on something that you know that people are going to see can take you outside of your comfort zone. And I like to be outside of my comfort zone. I don't like being comfortable when I'm working. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity."Speak No Evil" is in theaters now.

This veteran actor has worked with Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino. He still worries he'll never work again.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tom Simek got fit at 59 after being diagnosed with osteoporosis and high cholesterol.</li><li>Now 72, he's competed in "American Ninja Warrior" and won medals in the National Senior Games.</li></ul>At age 59, Tom Simek was out of shape.The retired building contractor based in Santa Fe had spent his working life prioritizing his family and business over his health. After he was diagnosed with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/osteoporosis-risk-for-young-middle-aged-men-2019-5">osteoporosis</a>, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea 13 years ago, he decided to make some healthy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-lifestyle-changes-live-longer-healthy-habits-genes-study-2024-5">lifestyle changes</a>, he told Business Insider.Simek made small changes at first: he stopped working weekends, ate healthier, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/minute-long-workouts-may-help-prevent-early-death-study-2022-12">started exercising daily</a>."It was gradual," he said. First he started walking, then incorporated bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, crunches, dips, and jumping jacks."And then I found a sport that I loved to do: track and field," he said.Now aged 72, Simek has competed on the TV competition "American Ninja Warrior" twice, is sponsored by <a target="_blank" href="https://seniorplanet.org/athletes/">Senior Planet</a>, a program that encourages older adults to exercise, and works out for about an hour each day. Some days, he spends the hour doing boot camp classes at his daughter's fitness club, while others he does short sprints and weights in his home gym.In 2012, Simek entered his first <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sprinter-get-fit-senior-games-tips-longevity-2024-9">National Senior Games</a>, a state and country-wide competition for athletes over 50. Every year since, he has competed in the long jump and the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter sprints, consistently winning medals for his state, New Mexico.<div type="image" title="Tom Simek with arms outstretched while competing on &quot;American Ninja Warrior.&quot;" height="1513" width="2269" msid="115113541" hostid="261" sizebytes="105070"></div>Simek shared four ways <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/70-year-old-lost-weight-start-strength-training-tips-fit-2024-9">getting fit</a> has improved his quality of life.<h2 id="44fed6df-167f-4fd8-b5d3-16a897d0fdef">1) A sense of purpose</h2>Track and field has become Simek's passion. "And if you're passionate about something, then you will look forward to your workouts in order to improve yourself. It gives me a reason to wake up in the morning," he said.Spurred on by his 12-year-old granddaughter, he also keeps up his training for "American Ninja Warrior," which he appeared on in 2019 and 2022, in case he's chosen to compete in future seasons. He does bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups to maintain his strength, practices gymnastics, and works on his balance.Having a sense of purpose has been linked to longevity in multiple studies. In one 2019 study by researchers at the University of Michigan, US adults aged over 50 who had a strong sense of purpose were less likely to die within four years.<h2 id="396dc23c-4ae7-4743-8914-f79248ef9299">2) Making new friends</h2>Simek loves that sports help him meet lots of new people. At track and field competitions, "younger people come up to me because they see my age, and say 'you inspire us,'" he said.<div type="image" title="Tom Simek hugging his granddaughter on &quot;American Ninja Warrior.&quot;" height="708" width="1209" msid="115113542" hostid="261" sizebytes="39938"></div>And he's made friends across the country at the Senior Games. "I think it's very important, in the senior years, to stay connected with people," he said.A 2023 study found that older people who had more social interactions were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/visit-family-friends-social-interaction-help-live-longer-study-2023-11">likely to live longer</a> than those who were more isolated.<h2 id="e6dfb94c-46c9-4bda-8216-6f4b59bc7bcd">3) Better mobility</h2>Because he's fit and mobile, Simek can do activities with his grandchildren, whether playing or competing in track and field competitions alongside his granddaughter. This is particularly important to him because he wants to show her the importance of a fit and active lifestyle as she grows up, he said.Mobility in older age is a predictor of living longer. A 2017 study published in BMC Health Services Research on 1,005 people aged 65 and above still living at home found that the longer it took participants to leave a chair, the greater their risk of dying within the next 11.8 years.<h2 id="19965da3-cf69-45c4-abdf-23242946994a">4) Better sleep</h2>"When you're fit, your mind works better, and you sleep better," Simek said.In a 2021 study published in Experimental Gerontology, people over 65 who were more physically fit — meaning they were able to perform more actions such as standing from a seated position and doing bicep curls — were more likely to have a better health-related quality of life.And research shows that being physically active is linked to better sleep quality, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep">according</a> to Dr. Charlene Gamaldo, the medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep.

A 59-year-old who prioritized work and family got fit after a health scare. Aged 72, he's a medal-winning athlete who works out daily.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A mechanic died after he got trapped under a van at an Amazon distribution center in Florida.</li><li>The 42-year-old man was working on an Amazon delivery van when the jack stand failed.</li></ul>A mechanic at an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-seeing-surge-sales-cheaper-items-2024-11">Amazon distribution center</a> in southern Florida died early Tuesday morning after a van he was working on fell on him.The Port St. Lucie Police Department told Business Insider in a statement that 42-year-old Andrew Tabannah became trapped under an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-delivery-driver-jobs-what-its-like-long-shift-hours-2022-10">Amazon delivery van</a> when the jack stand propping it up failed.Tabannah's coworkers placed additional jacks under the van and were able to pull him out and performed "life saving measures until an ambulance arrived."The St. Lucie County Fire Department arrived at the scene shortly after midnight. Tabannah was transferred to a local hospital and later pronounced dead.The Amazon distribution center in Port St. Lucie is located near Florida's east coast, about 48 miles north of Palm Beach.Police said they were investigating and that the incident appeared to be an accident, with no foul play suspected. They also said they had notified and were working with representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).In a statement provided to BI, Amazon said the person who died was a contractor."Our thoughts are with the contractor, their family, and friends during this very difficult time. As is standard procedure, we'll work closely with the contractor's employer as they investigate this tragic accident and conduct an internal investigation as well," Maureen Lynch Vogel, an Amazon spokesperson, said.Other Amazon employees and contractors who were scheduled to work were asked to stay home with pay. OSHA did not respond to a request for comment from BI.Amazon has been scrutinized in the past over <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/warehouse-injuries-amazon-chronic-pain-speed-risk-productivity-targets-employees-2022-10">workplace safety</a>. Last year, federal inspectors with OSHA <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-workers-injuries-back-joints-musculoskeletal-osha-citations-2023-1">cited Amazon for workplace practices</a> it said prioritized speed and put workers at risk for joint and back injuries.A report released by the US Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in July found Amazon employees are frequently injured while fulfilling <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-workers-get-injured-during-prime-day-senate-report-2024-7">Prime Day</a> orders.Do you work at Amazon and have a news tip or a story to share? Contact this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:kvlamis@businessinsider.com">kvlamis@businessinsider.com</a>.

A mechanic died at an Amazon distribution center after the van he was working on fell on him

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Pennsylvania has one of the fastest-aging populations in the nation.</li><li>It's a case study of how the US will handle a surge of retirees and fewer younger workers.</li></ul>Maureen, 67, is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-presidential-election-swing-state-polls-sun-belt-2024-10">planning to vote</a> for former President Donald Trump in November because she believes he'll be more beneficial to her finances now that she's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-retirement-of-peak-boomers-could-affect-economy-social-security-2024-4">retired</a>.The northeast Pennsylvania resident, who requested her last name be withheld to protect her privacy, said she approaches each election with an open mind and has previously voted for both Republicans and Democrats. Like many Americans, this time around, Maureen's deciding factor is her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blockbuster-jobs-report-kamala-harris-election-trump-inflation-economy-2024-10">perception of the economy</a>."I'm just looking back over the past eight years, and my 401(k) grew in the four years Trump was in office," Maureen told Business Insider. "Do I like his personality? Heck no, I don't. But my 401(k) went up, interest rates were low, unemployment rates were low."Maureen's view highlights a common theme among American voters, particularly those <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/older-americans-regret-retirement-savings-taking-social-security-early-investments-2024-10">carefully watching their retirement</a> nest egg: they hold whoever is president accountable for how they feel about their finances. Despite the fact that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-election-impact-outlook-harris-trump-energy-tesla-biden-2024-10">stocks</a> have enjoyed significant gains under both Biden and Trump and even though the Federal Reserve — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/interest-rate-cut-trump-fed-powell-reaction-independence-history-2024-9">not the president</a> — dictates benchmark interest rates, Maureen still blames the current administration for her dissatisfaction.Marjorie Klein, 80, lives in Philadelphia and is also retired. Similar to Maureen, she's concerned about financial security for older Americans — but she will be supporting Vice President Kamala Harris."He says that he's going to keep Social Security, but you never know with him," Klein told BI of Trump.Americans like Maureen and Klein may decide the election. A Morning Consult <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/us/elections/polls-president-pennsylvania.html">poll</a> conducted from October 6 to 15 found Harris leading Trump in the swing state of Pennsylvania by just one point. However, among voters aged 50 and over in Pennsylvania, a recent <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/government-elections/info-2024/pennsylvania-harris-trump-poll.html">poll</a> from AARP found Trump leading Harris by eight points."We're a pivotal state for this presidency," Bill Johnston-Walsh, state director of AARP Pennsylvania, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/government-elections/info-2024/pennsylvania-harris-trump-poll.html">said</a>. "Whoever wants it is going to have to go through us."Pennsylvania is a case study for the role the federal government will play in supporting the US's aging population over the next few decades through programs like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-retirement-of-peak-boomers-could-affect-economy-social-security-2024-4">Social Security</a> and Medicare. Pennsylvania voters and economists told BI it's vital that the next presidential administration plan for a future when retirees greatly outnumber younger Americans to ensure the economy and workforce can function effectively. As a swing state, it's critical for their campaigns that Harris and Trump listen to older Pennsylvanians' concerns.<h2 id="af5cee7e-b374-4096-b8b8-8442a2e05213">Social Security and Medicare in the hot seat</h2>Pennsylvania is aging rapidly; it has nearly 2.5 million residents over the age of 65, the fifth-highest total in the country. Nationally, the population of adults over 65 is expected to surge by 20 million between now and 2040.The state's residents rely heavily on federal government income, mainly through Social Security and Medicare, with two rural counties — Fayette and Cambria — among the most reliant in the nation, a report from the bipartisan Economic Innovation Group found.Benjamin Glasner, a coauthor of EIG's <a target="_blank" href="https://eig.org/great-transfermation/">report</a>, told BI that the most reliant counties were generally in older, poor, and more rural communities. Cambria, for example, needed more government aid after steel plant closures in the 1980s. Residents' incomes still haven't recovered."You can only receive so much from Social Security. Medicare can only cover so much, and Medicaid can only cover so much," Glasner said, adding that creates "a thin level of economic prosperity" reliant on the program's generosity."Mike Crossey, 73, has seen the limits of government aid firsthand in his work as an advocate for retirees. The Pittsburgh-area resident wants the next president of the US to strengthen Social Security, protect pensions, and expand Medicare. He said he knows too many older Americans who live off Social Security alone, which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/">averaged</a> $1,921 nationally for retirees in September."I run into people every day who are still making decisions about, 'Do I take my prescriptions today or do I have lunch today?' And that just breaks my heart," Crossey said.While Trump has denied that he would cut Social Security and previously criticized GOP lawmakers who proposed raising the retirement age to 70, the Committee for a Responsible Budget <a target="_blank" href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/what-would-trump-campaign-plans-mean-social-security">said</a> that Trump's policies could force cuts to Social Security benefits in as little as six years. Harris has proposed strengthening Social Security by ensuring the wealthy and big corporations pay what they owe in taxes.With the Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees report recently projecting that Social Security will only be able to pay out full benefits <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-social-security-benefits-run-out-retirement-crisis-boomers-2024-5">for the next 11 years</a>, the issue is growing more pressing, and not only for Pennsylvanians. Richard Fiesta, the executive director of the nonpartisan 4 million-member Alliance for Retired Americans, said that "Congress and the next administration needs to have a serious look at Social Security."Some retirees are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retirement-savings-401k-pension-real-estate-investments-baby-boomers-2024-6">able to live comfortably</a> amid economic headwinds. However, Fiesta said the decline in defined benefit pension plans, or employer-subsidized retirement plans, contributes to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retirement-crisis-social-security-poverty-older-americans-savings-inequality-2024-3">slump in average retiree savings</a>.This means that more and more Americans rely primarily on Social Security to help keep them financially afloat as they age. The previously mentioned EIG report found that income from government aid is the fastest-growing portion of an American's income, and it is primarily driven by retirees, who make up a rising share of the total US population."And we're just kind of seeing that now over the last 10 to 15 years as that generation ages into retirement," Fiesta said.<h2 id="a2e550dc-625f-4039-8e34-cbb0ecc4d25f">An aging workforce creates job mismatches</h2>The workforce in Pennsylvania is already starting to see imbalances as the younger population dwindles and the number of retirees grows.Kyle Kopko, executive director of the bipartisan legislative agency Center for Rural Pennsylvania, said local business owners complain of labor shortages. CRP research suggests that's due to fewer older adults working traditional jobs and instead pursuing entrepreneurship to supplement their retirement incomes. At the same time, lower birth rates mean younger adults are not filling the open roles either, Kopko said."If you don't have a pool of younger adults in Pennsylvania who can backfill for some of the retirees, that's going to create supply and demand imbalances," Kopko said, referring to the role retirees play in the economy as consumers, but less so as workers.When it comes to the issue of jobs nationwide, Harris proposed tax incentives for small businesses to spur more hiring, while Trump has largely focused on bolstering manufacturing in the US to create more jobs.One possible avenue for job creation — the infrastructure industry — has hardly been mentioned by either candidate in policy discussions. Bill Candelori, a 68-year-old retired commercial painter, sees this as an overlooked opportunity. He says Biden's infrastructure investments, which brought $16 billion to Pennsylvania, was a promising step but wants the next administration to go further."It's not only roads and bridges. It's airports, it's water authorities, it's schools, it's libraries, any public project," Candelori said. "That's work for us. And it's work afterward on maintaining those facilities. It's job creation."<h2 id="485b4799-3267-4ca3-96b7-d90ae5f90405">Political steps being taken</h2>State and local governments have already taken steps to address these mounting issues. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — a Democrat — has worked with members of his administration to create a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/aging/documents/aging-our-way/documents/AOW%20Final%20PDF%20online%20version%20with%20signature.pdf">10-year strategic plan</a> that outlined eight key priorities for older adults, including housing, transportation, and health and community support.Pennsylvania's Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich said it's a bipartisan issue that has bipartisan support: "There is not a representative or senator who I've ever sat down with that does not care about older adults in their district."JR Reed and Krista Geer, both in charge of county-wide aging agencies, have met with older adults in Pennsylvania to hear their top worries. Geer said that one of the biggest concerns she's heard about is the high cost of living, which has interfered with their ability to afford medications, gas, and groceries. Though inflation has moderated in recent months, it's still historically elevated and putting pressure on consumers."Social security just doesn't quite keep pace with that," Geer said. The program adjusts payouts annually to account for inflation. Critics say it isn't tied to a measure that accurately reflects the spending of older Americans.Reed and Geer agree the solution is for older populations to have a bigger nest egg, but not one that comes from Social Security. Reed said that he hopes Trump or Harris will continue to fund a 1965 federal law that provides funding to states to better support older adults.At the federal level, Harris recently proposed a plan that would allow Medicare coverage for in-home eldercare, which Fiesta said would "go a long way" toward helping both older adults and the family members who typically would take care of them.Trump, to date, has offered minimal details about his plans to address eldercare. Brian Hughes — his campaign's senior advisor — told BI that the presidential hopeful and his running mate, JD Vance, "share the principles of using more choice in the marketplace and efficiency as tools for better, more affordable health care."Overall, the stakes for an aging US population are high, and bipartisan participation is required to ensure the country is properly prepared for a surge in retirees.Kavulich said that the shift needs to be addressed head-on."Older adults really drive our economies," Kavulich said. "They drive our communities, and we have to respect that. And we have to not just think of them as frail and old and vulnerable."

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