Don Lee writes economic stories out of Washington, D.C. Since joining the Los Angeles Times in 1992, he has served as the Shanghai bureau chief and in various editing and reporting roles in California. Lee previously worked at the Kansas City Star. He is a native of Seoul, Korea, and graduated from the University of Chicago.
Latest From This Author
California’s progressive employment laws and generous state-mandated benefits are often lost when workers move to red states to find cheaper housing and lower taxes.
Oct. 31, 2023
The widening U.S.-China rift over climate change and international affairs is exacting a toll on California’s economy. Will Newsom’s trip soften the blow?
Oct. 30, 2023
Large numbers of registered nurses are relocating to California, in contrast to the recent flight of thousands of frustrated state residents moving out.
Sept. 19, 2023
The back-to-the-office campaign by many employers has run into resistance from workers. They’ve struck a truce of sorts — hybrid work.
Aug. 3, 2023
Foreign-born labor adds to demand for services and holds down costs of farm products, child care and other goods and services.
July 7, 2023
Employment gains for immigrant women in the U.S., notably Ukrainian refugees, are reaching record levels.
July 6, 2023
Smaller and cheaper towns and counties across the nation are competing to lure higher-income workers from California and other costly places.
June 13, 2023
President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy strike an “agreement in principle” on Saturday to raise the federal government’s borrowing limit and cut some spending.
May 27, 2023
An eleventh-hour deal saved the U.S. from defaulting on its debts in 2011. The brakes aren’t as reliable this time.
May 12, 2023
Medicare Advantage was conceived to give seniors wider choices and lower the rapid increase in the nation’s healthcare spending. It’s succeeded in one, but not the other.
May 9, 2023