Employee Participation

Montana's Department of Transportation and the union that represents its heavy equipment operators have reached a tentative contract agreement, ending a strike threat by snow plow drivers, officials said Friday.

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell to the lowest point in almost four years last week, the latest signal that the job market is steadily improving.

Two major unions at American Airlines are asking the company to offer incentives for workers to retire early as a way to reduce planned layoffs.

Sixty-two percent of workers want the opportunity to telecommute while 83 percent of workers believe telecommuting is becoming more popular, according to a survey by TeamViewer, a provider of remote control and online meetings software, and Harris Interactive.

Well, just in case you had your doubts, consider the resurgent debate over the payroll tax cut. The suits in Congress have until Feb. 29 to figure out whether to extend the politically popular tax cut and hopefully how to pay for it or simply let it expire.

President Barack Obama called on Congress Monday to create an $8 billion fund to train community college students for high-growth industries, part of his broader pitch to make higher education more affordable for all Americans.

As flu season is under way, hospitals and health care facilities should consider mandating that all of their employees receive influenza vaccinations, maintains the National Business Group on Health, a nonprofit organization that is focused on representing large employers' perspective on national health policy issues.

Researchers have encouraging news for women who find themselves in a very frightening situation: having cancer while pregnant. Studies suggest that these women can be treated almost the same as other cancer patients are, with minimal risk to the fetus.