Employer-Paid

The nation's largest firefighters union — one of the Democrats' most reliable sources of campaign money — announced Tuesday that it would quit donating to federal candidates this year because members of Congress aren't sufficiently backing them in their fight against anti-union measures around the country.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's top financial adviser on Tuesday defended the administration's proposal to hire a private company to run a state worker and retiree health insurance program, rebutting complaints the privatization would boost health care costs to generate short-term cash for the budget.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has signed a budget sending $579 million to the state Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the commission that resolves disputes over workplace injuries.

Arizona employers face a temporary tax increase to help the state repay loans provided by the federal government to pay for unemployment benefits.

North Carolina Republican legislative leaders said Monday they would revisit legislation extending unemployment benefits for about 37,000 long-term unemployed workers after handling two other financial issues, timing that would force the jobless to do without for a second week.

A majority of California voters are in favor of public-employee pension caps to help balance the state’s budget, according to a poll by The Los Angeles Times and USC.

It’s a simple, sad fact of life: Employees need to pony up more for their own health care costs.

Proposals requiring Florida state workers to contribute part of their income to their pensions are raising concerns over the effect it may have on lower-income workers.