Category: Economics

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Deception by Delivery Fees: Demanding Consumer Protections and Transparency in the Face of Deceptive Fee Practices

A Note by Deanna Nila

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The use of online food delivery platforms has seen a rampant increase in recent years, with the global food delivery market being valued at a whopping $242.09 billion in 2023. With the rise and fall of the COVID-19 pandemic, bustling consumer lifestyles, and the increased digitalization of everyday interactions, the ability to order food delivery from over thousands of different restaurant options has never been more convenient. Every day, thousands of busy consumers utilize apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, or GrubHub to have food or groceries delivered right to their door step. Many have even become reliant on these services, such as those with mobility issues or those who do not own vehicles. While the necessity and convenience of having food delivery at our fingertips has made it a booming business, consumers have found that this convenience can sometimes … Read the rest

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Which Side Are You On: Cemex, Mandatory Bargaining, and the Future of Organized Labor

A Note by Jarrett Krouss

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Under President Joe Biden, the frequency of union elections exploded– election petitions increased by roughly a quarter in 2024 compared to 2022 and 2023, and were double those filed in 2021. While many factors have likely contributed to the rise in union elections, the August 2023 National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) decision in Cemex Construction Materials Pacific, LLC plays a major role. A three-to-one ruling of the NLRB Board, Cemex lowered requirements for the issuance of mandatory bargaining orders. . . .… Read the rest

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Racing Toward Reform: Limiting NASCAR’s Monopsony Power Through Structural Change

A Note by Lauren Hadley

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Since its inception in 1948, the France family has ruled NASCAR with an iron fist. As other American professional sports leagues became increasingly democratic through athlete unionization and joint venture structures, NASCAR remained a dictatorship. In 2016, NASCAR granted teams non-permanent charters, similar to franchises, to build equity and encourage investment. Theoretically, the charter agreement gave teams formal power in NASCAR governance by negotiating and bargaining for better terms every few years. However, during last fall’s charter renewal negotiations, it became clear this was
not true in practice. . . .… Read the rest

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Scarcity Does Not Create Value: H-1B Visa Reform that Protects American Workers Without Reducing Immigration

A Note by Justin Fernando

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Amidst rising tensions surrounding immigration, the H-1B visa program has found itself under fire from all sides of the political spectrum. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, two businessmen who were tapped to lead the proposed Department of Governmental Efficiency, made headlines towards the end of last year for arguing in favor of the H-1B visa system as a way to bring talented workers to the United States. Senator Bernie Sanders directly opposed these comments, criticizing companies for replacing American workers with lower-paid immigrant workers, going as far as to call these workers “indentured servants.” This debate, while not new, presents a false dichotomy. . . .
… Read the rest

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BUY NOW, BUT PAY FOR IT LATER: HOW BNPLS ALLOW UNSECURED CONSUMER DEBT TO ACCUMULATE WITHOUT REGULATION

A Note by Alec Klimowicz

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Buy Now, Pay Later (“BNPL”) has taken consumer shopping by storm. Businesses have emerged with the BNPL model as its primary operation, offering repayment plans, typically in four equal payments across six weeks, at no interest.[1] A financial movement that ostensibly began only a couple of years ago is now playing a role in over 200 billion dollars’ worth of transactions.[2] Consumers have accelerated BNPL’s use during the pandemic; BNPL’s usage increased by 230% in 2020 and 400% during the same year’s Black Friday holiday.[3] These businesses, however, have grown at such an exponential rate that regulators are now playing catch up.[4] The balancing act for regulators is to permit wide-usage of the service without taking away its redeeming qualities.

[1] Eversheds Sutherland, Focus on Fintech: The CFPB is Scrutinizing Buy Now Pay Later Products … Read the rest

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Why Everyone Should Condemn the BDS Movement

By: Jacob Mezei

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a global movement started by 171 Palestinian organizations in 2005 with the goal of harming the Israeli economy by urging people, private corporations, and governments to boycott Israeli goods and services, divest funds, and establish economic sanctions on Israel. [1] Simply put, the BDS movement is bad. It is bad for the Palestinians. It is bad for the Israelis. It is bad for the world. The BDS movement harms third world countries in dire need of economic stimulus and hampers the growth of business and the development of technology. In addition, it incites hatred and discrimination, is harmful to future peace negotiations, and, as the Cour De Cassation (the highest court in France) recently ruled, it is illegal.[2]

The point of a peaceful boycott movement is to harm the entity being boycotted more than harming the ones doing … Read the rest

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Likely Effects of US immigration Reform on the National Deficit and Social Security System

There has been growing bipartisan efforts in Congress to reform the laws that govern U.S. immigration policy.[i] On June 27, 2013, the U.S. Senate passed “The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act” (S. 744).[ii] If this proposed reform becomes law, it will likely help reduce the growing budget deficit and add to economic growth. It is important to not mistake immigration reform with pure amnesty, because a comprehensive or piecemeal reform will address the problem of millions of “illegal” and undocumented immigrants as well as: “specialized programs for agriculture and hi-tech industries, border security and visa‐tracking capabilities, temporary work programs, the future of undocumented adults and children already present in the U.S., systems for employer verification of work eligibility, and other dimensions.”[iii]

 

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office (“CBO”) found that immigration reform will help reduce the federal budget deficit by over … Read the rest

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Family Leave in the United States: Time for a Change?

On February 5, 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (“FMLA”) was signed into law by Bill Clinton, mandating 12 weeks of unpaid family leave for companies with over 50 employees, if the employee has worked at least 1,250 hours during the last 12 months with the company.[1] In its findings, Congress specifically recognized the importance of parent participation in early childhood and the lack of job security available to working parents, and sought to give new parents more flexibility with work-life balance.[2] Since the FMLA was passed, the United States has fallen far behind other developed countries in providing leave for new parents. After more than 21 years, U.S. lawmakers should reexamine the national family leave policy and increase the benefits guaranteed for family leave. A more generous family leave policy is not only good for individuals and families, but also good for business.… Read the rest

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Hotel Conglomerates and AirBnB: The Tale of lobbyists thwarting a cheap stay in the Big Apple.

Some people refer to it as the City of Dreams. The Big Apple. The Melting Pot. The Capital of the World. Or the City that Never Sleeps. Regardless of the chosen alias or nickname, there is one universal truth about New York, New York.  That is—that it sure isn’t cheap! In fact, some would say that it’s outrageously expensive! So for all the accolades and attractions that have rightfully earned the city its share of global admirers, there exists a rather large barricade for those wishing to experience the city. A former candidate for mayor in New York City ran under the appropriately coined political party known as—“The rent is TOO damn high.”[i]  The average rent for an apartment in NYC? $3,017 a month.[ii] The average cost of purchasing a Manhattan apartment? $1.425 million.[iii] The average cost of a hotel stay in the city? A hair under … Read the rest

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Weeding out the Odds: Analysis of Oregon and Washington’s Constitutional Amendments to Legalize Recreational Use of Marijuana

 

 

Far away in the backdrop of the 2012 Presidential election, laid a secondary story that would make for primetime headlines on any other given day. That particular secondary story was none other than the states of Colorado and Washington successfully passing constitutional amendments that legalized recreational use of marijuana.  Unlike California and fifteen other states, citizens in Colorado and Washington will not be required to have a medical prescription from a physician to legally possess marijuana.[i] Instead, personal possession of up to an ounce of marijuana will be legal for anyone who is 21 years of age or older.[ii] Though the passing of the law reflects a growing national support for measures that either legalize the drug or aim to reduce the criminal punishments associated with it, federal law still dictates that marijuana is an illegal substance.  Consequently, who wins? Does the argument of … Read the rest