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Workers in about 15 locations nationwide are about to receive a boost in their paychecks, thanks to minimum wage increases that went into effect this week around the country. On Tuesday, July 1, minimum wage increases went into effect in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C. Additionally, 12 cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, are doing the same.The minimum wage hasn’t changed on a federal level since 2009. It remains stuck at $7.25. However, local governments have been moving the needle over the years, which is good news for workers, given the cost of living is at an all-time high. Previously, on January 1, 21 states increased their minimum wage, impacting some 9.2 million workers. The July 1 wage increase isn’t quite so far-reaching, but it will still impact more than 880,000 workers, according to a recent report from the Economic Policy Institute. Per the report, the wage bump will collectively raise those workers’ earnings by around $397 million. Washington, D.C., increased its minimum wage to $17.95, from $17.50. And statewide, Oregon went from $14.70 to $15.05, and Alaska, from $11.91 to $13. In other areas of the country, changes vary depending on the city or county. And in some states, the minimum wage is set to increase little by little. In Alaska, which just upped its rate by $1.09 (from $11.91 to $13), it will increase until it reaches $15 in 2027. Some wage increases depend on the size of companies, too. In Maryland’s Montgomery County, employers with 10 or fewer employees now have to pay them $15.50 an hour, up from $15. If companies have 11 to 50 employees, the rate is $16, up from $15.50. And if there are 51 or more employees, the rate is $17.65, up from $17.15. Another notable point is that some locations increased not only the minimum wage, but also the minimum wage for tipped workers (those who rely mostly on tips and a traditionally low hourly wage). In Chicago, the minimum wage went from $16.20 to $16.60. The rate for tipped workers went from $11.20 to $12.62. Currently, there are only a handful of locations with minimum wages over $20. The state of California pays fast-food workers $20 an hour, and Seattle has a minimum wage of $20.67. Now, the cities of Tukwila and Everett, Washington, have joined the over-$20-an-hour club. In Tukwila, employers with 15 to 500 workers will now pay minimum-wage employees an hourly rate of $21.10up a full dollar from $20.10. In Everett, employers with more than 500 employees will pay a minimum rate of $20.24, up from $16.66. For a full list, as well as to see other minimum wage increases set to hit in 2025, check out the National Employment Law Project’s “Raises From Coast to Coast in 2025” report. Find it here.
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The digital health market is growing, and according to Microsoft, its new AI Diagnostic Orchestrator (MAI-DxO) is among the latest in generative, artificial intelligence to support accurate, complex medical diagnosesand it’s doing it better than human doctors. According to the tech company, the new system acts as a virtual panel of diverse physicians that bridge the gap between needing multiple real-life general physicians and specialists in the search to be diagnosed. They call it medical superintelligence. In a report published on Monday, Microsoft claims the generative AI tool is around four times more accurate than a human physician when it comes to diagnosing complex issuesand that it does so at a lower cost. Increasingly, people are turning to digital tools for medical advice and support. Across Microsofts AI consumer products like Bing and Copilot, we see over 50 million health-related sessions every day, the report states. From a first-time knee-pain query to a late-night search for an urgent-care clinic, search engines and AI companions are quickly becoming the new front line in healthcare. How does it work? To avoid one-shot answers Microsoft says it focused on teaching the new system to make a sequential diagnosis, meaning the ability to address multiple, varying factors before providing a clear treatment plan. To do so, MAI-DxO was paired with OpenAIs 03 reasoning model for its ability to understand complex topics. Essentially this pairing creates an AI-generated panel of doctors that asks questions, orders medical testing, and provides a diagnosis with follow-up questions as needed. To test its efficiency in comparison to physicians, Microsoft applied MAI-DxO to 304 case records from the New England Journal of Medicine, and compared the systems diagnostic results to those of 21 human physicians from the U.S. and the U.K.Microsoft says that with MAI-DxO 85.5% of cases were solved accurately. Whereas, the real-life physicians solved the cases with a mean accuracy of 20%. Notably, the physicians were unable to access books, colleagues, or other AI tools during the studyall tools doctors would typically use in their practice. Additionally, Microsoft claims the tool lowers healthcare waste such as unnecessary care and overpayment of services. Essentially, speedlining the process that has left 15 million Americans in medical debt this past year. The future of AI-driven healthcare Although Microsoft presents its new tool on the cutting edge, it says additional testing is needed and limitations still exist. The AI orchestrator, while claimed to be great with complex health situations, needs work on the simple-healthcare front. Additionally, MAI-DxO is not currently approved for clinical trials, and will need to be before it can be used to diagnose real-life, medical situations. While AI is becoming a powerful tool in healthcare, our team of practicing clinicians believes AI represents a complement to doctors and other health professionals, Microsoft says. While this technology is advancing rapidly, their clinical roles are much broader than simply making a diagnosis. They need to navigate ambiguity and build trust with patients and their families in a way that AI isnt set up to do.
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Girl with a Pearl Earring has taken on a new meaning on social media. TikTok loves a theory, especially ones that attempt to explain dating struggles. The “pearl earring theory” is the latest to go viral, claiming that the classic freshwater gemstone could be the reason you are chronically single. Why? According to TikTok, pearl jewelry gives off the impression of being expensive and, as a result, high maintenance. “Woke up and found out there’s a ‘pearl earring theory,'” one creator posted alongside a selfie where she is wearing giant pearl earrings. The next slide reads: “So you’re telling me the ‘pearl earrings theory’ is actually about how if someone wears them, they’d be single for a long time and not because you’d look expensive and attract potential lovers?” Of course, theres no scientific backing to this theory. In fact, many in the comments have pushed back with their own love of pearls and successful dating lives. But, given the state of dating in 2025, others are running with it. “No because recently I’ve been realizing that I’m chronically single. You would think by having a big following I would have a gluttonous amount of guys DMing me,” one TikTok creator complained. “No wonder I’m single all the time,” she says, gesturing to her pearl drop earrings, pearl necklace, and pearl bracelets. “I’m decked out in pearls. Truly it is everywhere on everything.” @morganmcguirept2 Or maybe they just think Im annoying #pearl #earring #dating #theory original sound – merp Others are offering the TikTok-viral-theory version of mixed signals. When you wear pearl earrings but have red nails and realize why men must be so confused, one TikTok user posted. The red-nail theory, by contrast, suggests you’re more likely to attract suitors if your nails are painted red. @anasofiagmza pear earring theory X red nail theory #pearlearringtheory #rednailtheory #love stargirl – ADTurnUp The pearl earring theory has even made it to the subreddit r/dating_advice, where someone asked for mens takes. The last thing I look at is a women’s earrings!, one Reddit user wrote. I’ve seen women with the goofiest earrings lock down the best guys, another suggested. So, ladies, if you want to wear pearls, wear your pearls. Or, on the flip side, some are embracing the theory and using pearls as a way to deliberately ward off romantic interests. One creator posted: If pearl earrings theory is real, then Ill wear it even more. @algwen_ah only pearl earring suits me original sound – editsbylil9 – editsbylil9
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