New Englanders love the lottery, and it’s long been an important source of public funding. But it’s not the only option for people’s gambling dollars. Boston Fed researcher Riley Sullivan talks about lottery history, policy, and trends.

The story after the pandemic started was that people were relocating more. But now, New Englanders just aren’t making as many moves, either short- or long-distance. Boston Fed economist Pinghui Wu talks about the trend and what it means.

How can smaller cities recover after their industry disappears? The Working Places initiative exists because Boston Fed researchers wanted to answer that question. On its 10th anniversary, director Colleen Dawicki discusses successes and lessons learned. 

Check fraud is on the rise, even as the number of checks in circulation is dropping. Why? Boston Fed payments fraud expert Mike Timoney discusses why checks are an attractive target for thieves and how consumers can protect themselves.

Employers are reluctant to hire people with criminal histories, and that can be a drag on the economy, because they make up a surprisingly large part of the population. What can be done to reduce employer risks while giving this group a fair chance?

Research by a Boston Fed economist indicates that as many as 7 million “gig workers” aren’t being counted in the main survey that measures U.S. employment. Why? And how can policymakers get a more accurate view of their contributions to the economy?

“Full employment” is often overshadowed by the better-known half of the Fed’s dual mandate from Congress: “stable prices,” but both are equally important to the Fed. This overview defines full employment and looks at why some groups are struggling to reach it.

Kenechukwu Anadu, who co-leads a group focused on bank, non-bank, and financial stability risks, discusses stablecoins – a type of crypto asset – and the potential impacts of their rapid growth on the stability of the financial system.  

Can employers do more to solve the child care crisis? Some policy groups say child care and employer would benefit if they did. Boston Fed senior policy analyst Sarah Savage discusses what deeper employer involvement looks like and what it could mean.