Employee Participation

The overall confidence of manufacturing employees hit a five-year high, jumping to 50.9 for an increase of 3.9 points from last quarters 47.

The Federal Reserve projects the unemployment rate will stay elevated until late 2015, suggesting it will keep short-term interest rates low for the next three years.

U.S. employers advertised more jobs in October than September, a hopeful sign that hiring could pick up in the coming months.

Gov. Tom Corbett said Monday that Pennsylvania apparently lacks the political will to become a "right-to-work" state, a key issue for conservatives as Republicans in fellow industrial state Michigan prepare to pass such a law over the protests of organized labor.

Key employees are lacking some of the benefits they have come to expect, which is causing them to look for employment elsewhere.

The Labor Department's report offers a mixed picture of the economy.

The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid fell sharply last week as a temporary spike caused by Superstorm Sandy has faded. Weekly applications have fallen back to a level consistent with modest hiring.

A private survey shows U.S. businesses added fewer workers in November, mostly because Superstorm Sandy shut down factories, retail stores, and other companies.