Yahoo Finance 3 things your family needs to know about travel and taxes ahead of the weekend
Every Friday our Personal Finance team will round up consumer news you need to know ahead of the weekend on a segment we call “Family First” for YFi PM. Read below for this week’s round-up.
Branson slams U.S. vacation policies
British billionaire Richard Branson took a jab at U.S. companies’ paid leave policies, calling it a “disgrace” that U.S. employees get an average of 16 paid days off per year, including public holidays — which is about half of the amount most European companies give their employees. Requirements at the national level for paid maternity leave are also low, with an estimated 11% of American workers having access to paid maternity leave policies.
Asbestos in Claire’s make-up?
Girls’ and tween retailers Claire’s and Justice have pulled some of their cosmetics from the shelves following FDA reports that asbestos is in some of their eyeshadows and shimmer powders.
Claire’s issued a statement citing there is no evidence that their products are unsafe and that the test results have errors. However, they will honor returns of their talc based products.
Taxes on par with last year
For the second week in a row, tax refunds are up — though just slightly at — according to the IRS for the week ending March 1, 2019. It’s now on par with 2018 results thus far, just $22 more per refund with the average check at $3,068. Total refunds issued by the IRS are behind by 4.2%. Experts, including the IRS National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, say estimates are still too early as only 39% of refunds have been filed.
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