Employee-Paid

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.s landmark decision to boost wages for half a million employees will increase pressure on rival retailers such as Target Corp. to follow suit as the labor market tightens and worker pay climbs nationwide.

An overhaul that could save the government more than $12 billion a year.

Engagement among American workers is improving a bit. Still, more than half of workers who responded to a Gallup poll on engagement described themselves as essentially not fully engaged in their job.

The White House gave up on its plan to end the 529 tax break Tuesday, six days before it was to be included in the presidents Feb. 2 budget proposal.

President Barack Obama urged lawmakers to increase subsidies to parents of young children and expand access to early childhood education, describing child care as an burden on young workers.

Would you hire a prospective employee who brought 50 ink pens to the first interview, and spread them out on the table before him?