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Are Rhode Islanders happy at work? Here’s a look at the stats.

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Are Rhode Islanders happy at work? Here’s a look at the stats.


Time-and-a-half on Sundays, limited post-employment drug testing, an attorney appointed to represent workers in unemployment insurance appeals, and a trailblazing temporary disability insurance program are just a few of the reasons Rhode Island comes out as one of the friendlier states for workers – but does that lead to job satisfaction?

It depends.

One firm, SelectSoftware Reviews, ranked Rhode Island as second for “happiest employees,” behind Alaska, with a calculation based on wages, quit rate, commute times, working hours, injuries, paid time off laws and “state positivity levels.”

“With a thriving job market, available PTO [paid-time-off] laws, and a modest quit rate of 2.4%, it also has the lowest injury rate of any state, with only five fatal incidents reported in the previous year,” reviewer Phil Strazzulla wrote.

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Rhode Island is, and has been, a leader in paid-time-off laws, passing the first temporary disability insurance program in the country. It was the eighth state to pass mandated paid sick leave in 2017, mandating that employers with 18 or more workers give full-time employees at least five paid sick days a year.

U.S. News & World Report puts Rhode Island as number 23 on its “employment” rankings, an evaluation of unemployment rate, job growth and labor force participation.

More: Do you like where you work? Nominate your company for a Top Workplaces award.

Other metrics by the firm rank Rhode Island much lower, including its “opportunity” index, where the state ranks 37th, ranking high for economic opportunity (16th) but low for affordability (37th) and equality (37th).

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Still, Rhode Island beats neighboring Massachusetts for “opportunity,” which has higher rankings for economic opportunity (13th) and equality (14th) but is tanked by its affordability (45th).

Is Rhode Island a good place to find a job?

The website WalletHub.com ranked Rhode Island 10th on its 2023 ranking of the best place to find a job, its job market rank (16th) being buoyed by its economic environment ranking (9th).

However, the survey noted that Rhode Island ranks near last for employment growth, 48th, just above New Jersey and Idaho, and just below New Hampshire and Connecticut.

How is Rhode Island as a place to work?

The nonprofit Oxfam has a more comprehensive ranking of the “best” places to work in the United States, putting Rhode Island at 14th overall (an increase of one spot over last year), with Oregon, California and the District of Columbia leading the rankings.

Oxfam breaks its rankings down into three policy areas: wages, worker protections and the rights to organize.

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Oxfam ranked Rhode Island 18th for wage policies (up two spots over last year), noting the increased minimum wage ($13 an hour in 2023, $14 in 2024 and set to increase to $15 in 2025), but docking it for maintaining a tipped minimum wage ($3.89) and average unemployment benefits which, according to Oxfam, only supply 15% of the money needed to cover the cost of living.

Rhode Island is also docked for not allowing municipalities to set a minimum wage above the state standards.

Rhode Island ranks 12th for worker protection policies.

Notable are the protections Rhode Island is lacking, which include:

  • Paid breaks to pump for breastfeeding workers.
  • Flexible scheduling of worker shifts.
  • Split-shift pay regulation.
  • Advanced notice of shift scheduling.
  • No protections for domestic workers (including no minimum wage).
  • No heat safety standards for outdoor workers.

Rhode Island ranks 14th for its right to organize laws, only being docked for not protecting workers against wage theft retaliation.

In the last legislative session, wage theft by employers went from being a misdemeanor to a felony, a charge led by Attorney General Peter Neronha.

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What laws are worker friendly in Rhode Island?

The entire Northeast tends to be more worker friendly than much of the rest of the country and Rhode Island is no exception, said labor attorney Matthew Parker of Whelan Corrente & Flanders LLP.

The three lawyers interviewed for this story all keyed in on one major worker benefit, and innovation, where Rhode Island is leading the way: its temporary disability insurance program and, more recently, the temporary caregiver insurance program.

The temporary disability insurance program in Rhode Island was the first of its kind in the country, established in 1942. It funds partially paid medical leave for workers dealing with non-work-related injuries and illness. While Rhode Island was the trailblazer, the rest of the country never got on board. To date, only New York, New Jersey, California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico have followed Rhode Island’s lead.

“It’s an amazing benefit to our workforce,” labor lawyer Richard Sinapi of Sinapi Law Associates said. “I cannot tell you how many families have been saved from the brink of bankruptcy.”

Sinapi said the one problem with the program is that it does not apply to state workers. While some have union benefits or other insurance, nothing stacks up to the “amazing, efficient and well-run” program that is a lifesaver to so many families.”

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More: Marijuana is legal in RI. What does it mean for drug tests, employers and employees?

The Temporary Caregiver Insurance program, passed in 2013, extended the idea to caregivers, giving workers up to six weeks of benefits to care for a seriously ill child, partner, parent, parent-in-law or grandparent, or to bond with a newborn child, newly adopted child or new foster child.

Sean Fontes, a lawyer with Partridge Snow & Hahn, a law firm representing businesses, and former executive counsel for the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, said Massachusetts is often considered more worker friendly than Rhode Island, yet it only passed its own temporary caregiver insurance law in 2018.

Other places where Rhode Island excels for worker protections are:

  • Paying an attorney to represent those seeking unemployment benefits during the appeals process.
  • Robust protections for drug testing after someone has started work.
  • Paid sick leave.
  • Mandated time-and-a-half on Sundays for most hourly workers, as Sundays are classified as “holidays.”
  • Employers can’t require non-disclosure agreements that prevent reporting of certain bad actions, including civil rights violations.
  • Wage theft is a felony.

Do you like where you work? Let us know

For the first time, The Providence Journal will honor quality workplace culture in Rhode Island. Any organization with 35 or more employees in the state is eligible to earn Top Workplaces recognition.  

The nomination deadline is March 22. Anyone can nominate any organization, whether it is public, private, nonprofit, a school or even a government agency. To nominate an employer or get more information on the awards, go to providencejournal.com/nominate or call (401) 226-0749. 

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RI Lottery Powerball, Numbers Midday winning numbers for May 9, 2026

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 9, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 9 drawing

15-41-46-47-56, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Numbers numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 0-8-9-5

Evening: 0-9-4-7

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from May 9 drawing

08-13-24-27-34, Extra: 32

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 9 drawing

08-11-17-29-49, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
  • Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
  • Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
  • Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Proposed tax hike would hurt small businesses and our communities | Opinion

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Proposed tax hike would hurt small businesses and our communities | Opinion


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  • A proposed “millionaires tax” in Rhode Island could impact small, family-owned businesses structured as pass-through entities.
  • The author, a state representative and business owner, argues the tax would reduce funds for payroll, equipment, and expansion.
  • The op-ed suggests the tax could make Rhode Island less competitive, citing high earners leaving Massachusetts after a similar tax was passed.
  • The author advocates for policies that encourage business investment rather than penalizing financial success.

Rhode Island is built on the strength of small, family-owned businesses. They are the backbone of our economy, the employers of our neighbors, and the reason our communities have character and opportunity. I know this not just as a legislator, but as someone who works every day in a family business alongside the people I care about most. That’s why I am concerned about the impact of the proposed “millionaires tax” on businesses and our communities.

While it may sound like a measure aimed at a narrow group of high earners, the reality is far different. Many family-owned businesses – especially those structured as pass-through entities – report their business income on personal tax returns. That means this tax doesn’t just target “millionaires” in the traditional sense; it directly impacts small and mid-sized businesses that reinvest their earnings into payroll, equipment, expansion and employee benefits.

In my case, our family business is a private ambulance service. Every day, we are responsible for delivering critical care to Rhode Islanders, particularly seniors and our most medically fragile neighbors. That responsibility comes with significant costs. Ambulances, lifesaving medical equipment, and the technology needed to support our crews are expensive, and they must be maintained and updated regularly to meet the highest standards of care.

Tax increases like this directly impact our ability to make those investments. These are not abstract tradeoffs – they have real consequences for the level of care we can provide. For businesses like mine, margins matter. Every dollar that goes out the door in taxes is a dollar that can’t be used to hire another worker, increase wages, buy new equipment or sponsor the local Little League team. These are real decisions that affect real people.

Supporters of this proposal often frame it as a fairness issue. But fairness should also mean recognizing the role that employers play in creating opportunity. When government makes it more expensive to operate a business in Rhode Island, we risk pushing investment – and jobs – elsewhere. Policies like this don’t exist in a vacuum; they shape decisions about where businesses grow and where families choose to put down roots.

We don’t have to guess what would happen if we raised taxes here – we can just look to Massachusetts. They passed a millionaires tax and the latest data shows a steady stream of high earners leaving for lower-tax states like New Hampshire and, you guessed it, Rhode Island. We could take advantage of Massachusetts’ mistake and build on the momentum we have built in recent years. We’ve seen the benefits of thoughtful policy decisions that encourage investment and support job creation and tax revenues are up. But progress is fragile. Policies like the millionaires tax risk undoing that work by sending the message that success will be penalized rather than encouraged.

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As both a business owner and a legislator, I believe strongly that we can – and must – strike a better balance.

We can support public services, invest in our communities, and maintain fiscal responsibility without resorting to policies that put our local businesses at a disadvantage. We can grow our economy by creating an environment where businesses want to stay, expand and hire.

Let’s focus on solutions that strengthen our economy, support our workforce, and ensure that family-owned businesses like mine and so many others across our state continue to thrive.

Rhode Island’s future depends on it.

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Jacquelyn Baginski is a state representative from Cranston.



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RI Lottery Mega Millions, Numbers Midday winning numbers for May 8, 2026

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing

37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Numbers numbers from May 8 drawing

Midday: 9-8-9-7

Evening: 7-9-8-9

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from May 8 drawing

10-13-15-16-30, Extra: 09

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing

14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
  • Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
  • Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
  • Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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