Employee-Paid

America's sickly economy can be healed with jobs, jobs and more jobs. On that, everyone agrees. Figuring out how to produce them is what is stumping everyone.

First, do no harm. Economists say the most important part of the jobs plan President Barack Obama will unveil Thursday night is the renewal of two measures already in place a cut in Social Security taxes and emergency aid for the unemployed.

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing to block Florida's new law requiring new welfare recipients to pass a drug test, filing the lawsuit on behalf of a Navy veteran who was denied assistance to help care for his 4-year-old son because he refused to take the test.

With bipartisan buy-in and no big price tag, a Georgia program pairing job seekers with potential employers for on-the-job training is gaining momentum as President Barack Obama crafts a plan to tackle the nation's bedeviling unemployment problem.

Fights large and small await Congress as it gets back to business, with jobs and budget cuts topping a contentious agenda that also includes a lengthy roster of lower-profile but must-do items that also are potential victims of partisan gridlock.

Companies advertised the most job openings in nearly three years, a hopeful sign after the worst month for hiring in nearly a year.

The economy weak and the public seething, President Barack Obama is expected to propose $300 billion in tax cuts and federal spending Thursday night to get Americans working again. Republicans offered Tuesday to compromise with him on jobs but also assailed his plans in advance of his prime-time speech.

California Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that he was optimistic that lawmakers will agree this week to end a tax break for companies based outside the state, signaling he was willing to modify his proposal in an effort to stop what he called a "toxic loophole."