Elijah Wood Apologized For Buying NFTs From An Artist Who Created Racist Cartoons, And More Viral Money Stories From This Week
1.The West Hollywood city council approved the highest minimum wage in the US.
2.Elijah Wood came under fire for buying NFTs from an artist who's also drawn some pretty horrific racist cartoons.
3. A woman's TikTok rant about what millennials really want out of work went viral, and she 100% nailed it.
@millennialmoneywitch Instead of nap pods, please just give us the $12,000. #greenscreen #millennialsbelike #millennialswillunderstand #millennialmoneywitch #only90skidsknow #only90skidswillgetit #only90skidsunderstand #only90sbabiesknow #only90skidsgetit #okboomer #only80skidswouldunderstand #only80swillknow #borninthe80s #borninthe80sraisedinthe90s #therentistoodamnhigh #therentisdue #underpaid #jobhunters #jobhunttips #jobhuntress #jobhunt2021 #jobhuntinginquarantine #jobhuntingszn #jobhunter #jobhuntingtips
♬ original sound - MillennialMoneyWitch
Intuitive mindset coach and business consultant Jessie DaSilva honestly laid out the millennial condition so freakin' well in this TikTok (seriously, go watch it now) that I'm not even going to try to summarize it. Instead, here are some choice quotes:"The biggest mistake I see is companies assuming millennials want perks, nap pods, snack rooms, free avocado toast, or whatever else. Those things might seem cool on a company website, but they will never make up for a thrive-able wage, good benefits, vacation time, and the ability to learn and grow with a company.""A nap pod costs between $8,000 to $12,000, which would go much further on a salary retaining a talented millennial than giving them an afternoon nap."TL;DR: Nap pods are cheugy. Millennials would rather get paid, please.
4.Remote workers are taking fewer sick days, which could lead to more burnout.
Axios reported on a survey that found 70% of remote workers said they kept working while sick at some point during the pandemic. It makes sense — especially when you think about the pressure to avoid taking time off that dominates many workplaces. If you're afraid to take the day off, of course you're going to wind up working from your sickbed.
But bosses should care because this trend hurts people's well-being and company bottom lines. Presenteeism (aka showing up to work when you're unwell) adds up to $226 billion in lost productivity per year in America. More importantly, pushing yourself to work when you're really not well can make it take even longer to recover and set you up for burnout.
TL;DR: Remote workers still need to take sick days. If your boss doesn't think so, they're hurting the company in more ways than one.
5.A report found that college costs are up 169% since 1980, while salaries for grads have only increased by 19%.
NBC / Via giphy.com
In news that will surprise nobody under 40, Georgetown University released a report that shows the costs of education in America have exploded while pay for young workers (and most workers, tbh) remains stagnant. And the report is full of sad-but-true observations like "It is far better to be born rich and white than smart and poor in America.” Oof.
TL;DR: The report is depressing AF, but it makes for a great link to send to your rude uncle the next time he asks why you haven't bought a house yet. This is why, Richard!!!
6.Biden's workplace vaccination rules are set to go into effect on Jan. 4.
As of Jan. 4, workplaces that employ more than 100 people will have to adhere to president Biden's directive requiring that workers get vaccinated or wear masks at work and undergo weekly testing for COVID-19. Employers who don't comply with the directive can face fines up to $13,600 per violation.
There are a few exceptions, however. People who only work from home won't face this requirement, as well as people who only work outdoors, and people who work alone in a space without anyone else present.
TL;DR: If you're employed by a company with 100 or more workers, expect to turn in a copy of your vaccination records (or start getting tested weekly) soon.
7.A Squid Game–themed cryptocurrency turned out to be a scam.
Netflix / Via giphy.com
The New York Times reported that Squid coin began trading last week, and it got attention from several mainstream media outlets as the price surged on Monday from $38 per token to $2,856.65. But minutes later, the price crashed to $0.0007. The anonymous developers of the coin haven't commented, but crypto experts are calling the move a "rug pull."
The coin was set up in a way that prevented investors from selling it, and in the end, just like in the Netflix series (HERE COMES A SPOILER), only one entity (in this case, the developers) walked away with the money.
TL;DR: Everyone who bought Squid coin lost money. If you do invest in crypto, experts say you should do your homework before you buy a hot new coin.
8.Zillow announced that it's ending its homebuying business, and people are saying it was brought down by a viral TikTok.
One TikTok really fucked up Zillow bag… you love to see it https://t.co/lMXLcKj1St
9.Finally, people on Twitter were equal parts fascinated and horrified by a CNN segment on inflation that featured a family who buys 12 gallons of milk in a typical week.
"A gallon of milk was $1.99. Now it's $2.79. When you buy 12 gallons a week times four weeks, that's a lot of money."@EvanMcS goes grocery shopping with the Stotlers and shows us how badly inflation is hitting the middle class.
Phew, what a week! Don't forget to set your clocks back on Sunday, if you have clocks. Otherwise, sit back, relax, and let your phone handle the whole "fall back" thing.
And for more stories about work and money, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.
