In a move that should delight baristas, umbrella salespeople, and grunge band roadies, the Seattle City Council voted to increase the minimum wage to $15 over the next seven years. From that point on, the minimum wage will be tied to the Consumer Price Index.

+ The new wage regulations could end up in the courtroom as franchise owners feel they are being unfairly targeted.

+ Some government workers in Gothenburg, Sweden are even happier than the folks in Seattle. This summer, they will become guinea pigs in an experiment to measure the productivity levels associated with the six-hour workday — with full pay.

+ Will the shorter workdays mean more stress? Penn State researchers found that both men and women were more stressed out at home than at work.