A college-educated young professional details the grueling realities of hourly labor for the fastest-growing segment of the American workforce while outlining strategies for more humane employment practices. When Guendelsberger took a pre-Christmas job at an Amazon fulfillment center outside Louisville, Kentucky, the vending machines were stocked with painkillers, and the staff turnover was dizzying. In the new year she traveled to North Carolina...

"Studies indicate that income inequality is increasing, with wealthy Americans controlling a greater share of the wealth while incomes for most Americans have changed little compared to the increasing cost of living. This issue of The Reference Shelf takes a close look at the factors impacting income inequality in the United States. Articles featured in this issue examine topics such as the minimum wage, wealth inequality, tax loopholes, corporate...