Congress Extends Payroll Tax Cut Through End of Year
Congress passed a bill Friday that will extend the current payroll tax deduction to the end of the year and leave about $20 extra per week in the average worker’s paycheck. The cut would have ended at the end of this month without a new extension.
Passage of the bill came after months of partisan discord. Republicans had insisted that the cut be offset by reductions in government spending, while Democrats said that workers needed the money to get them through tough economic times. Continue reading “Congress Extends Payroll Tax Cut Through End of Year” »
Pentagon to Make More Combat-Related Jobs Available to Women
They’ve been shot and taken as prisoners of war, and more than 150 of them have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. They’ve flown helicopters and bombers in combat – and been shot down by the enemy – but women are officially still not allowed to be assigned to combat positions.
That’s about to change some, with a recommendation to Congress from the Pentagon that women be allowed to fill more combat-related jobs in the armed forces. Continue reading “Pentagon to Make More Combat-Related Jobs Available to Women” »
Study: Young Workers Have Suffered Most in Down Economy
America’s youngest workers have suffered more than any other age group in the economic turmoil of the past few years, according to a study released last week by the Pew Research Center.
Only 54 percent of 18 to 24 year-olds have jobs. That is the lowest employment rate on record for that age group since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking it in 1948. Continue reading “Study: Young Workers Have Suffered Most in Down Economy” »
Electric Car Manufacturer Loses Federal Funding, Lays Off Workers
California-based electric car maker Fisker Automotive has laid off workers at a Delaware plant and at its Anaheim headquarters after losing access to federal loan money.
The Department of Energy had promised the company, manufacturer of the first luxury hybrid electric car, $529 million in loans in April 2010. Fisker had spent about $193 million of the loan before the DOE blocked access to the funds because of missed milestones. Continue reading “Electric Car Manufacturer Loses Federal Funding, Lays Off Workers” »
Jobless Rate Falls for Fifth Straight Month to Three-Year Low
The U.S. jobless rate fell 0.2 percent last month to 8.3 percent, its lowest level in three years, as the economy added 243,000 jobs. The numbers beat economists’ predictions, which generally hovered around 155,000 jobs created for the month. Continue reading “Jobless Rate Falls for Fifth Straight Month to Three-Year Low” »
Study: Pregnancy Should be Covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act
Shortness of breath, fatigue, and diabetes are medical conditions that employers must accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act — as long as those conditions aren’t due to pregnancy.
That needs to change, according to a study scheduled to be published next month in the Boston College Law Review. Continue reading “Study: Pregnancy Should be Covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act” »
White House Says Tourism Initiative Could Create 1 Million Jobs
President Obama has announced an initiative to make it easier for foreigners to visit America, which the White House said could put more than 1 million people to work in the tourism industry over the next ten years. Continue reading “White House Says Tourism Initiative Could Create 1 Million Jobs” »
Teachers Lose Job Security as States Increase Expectations
Just a few years ago, public school teachers had nearly unparalleled job security. Barring levy failures and declining enrollment – which only affected the newest hires – a teacher could expect to spend a 30-year career at the same school and retire with a tidy pension. Continue reading “Teachers Lose Job Security as States Increase Expectations” »
4G Wireless Technology Created 1.6 Million Jobs
Cell phone companies’ upgrades to 2G, 3G, and now 4G wireless technology helped create 1.6 million jobs from April 2007 to June 2011, a period when private-sector employment fell by 5.3 million jobs. That’s according to a study by the New Policy Institute, which found a correlation between new mobile technology and employment figures. Continue reading “4G Wireless Technology Created 1.6 Million Jobs” »
Veterans Trade Uncertainty of War for Uncertain Employment Prospects
The war in Iraq is over and President Obama has pledged to bring home 30,000 troops from Afghanistan, or about one third of U.S. forces there, by September. But returning veterans often find that a new battle awaits them when they try to trade their body armor and assault rifles for the trappings of a civilian job. Continue reading “Veterans Trade Uncertainty of War for Uncertain Employment Prospects” »