Pandemic-era inflation left millions of workers with a lasting pay cut. Now it's happening again.

August 18, 2026 / 3:19 PM EDT / CBS News

Pandemic-era inflation left millions of workers with a lasting pay cut. Now it's happening again.

TL;DR

  • Workers' real wages are falling again, mirroring the economic situation during the pandemic years.
  • From February 2021 to June 2022, real wages decreased by over 4%, and many workers are still earning less in inflation-adjusted terms than four years prior.
  • The recent increase in inflation, driven by oil and gasoline prices due to the Iran war, has outpaced wage growth.
  • Most companies adhere to wage growth norms, providing modest annual raises that are inadequate during high inflation periods.
  • This dynamic results in an 'inflation transfer,' where the burden of higher prices shifts from corporations to workers.
  • Job changers have seen wages rise closer to inflation, but this often involves significant personal costs.
  • Low real wages contribute to diminished consumer sentiment, even with low unemployment rates.