Cost-Containment

Three weeks before the Democratic National Convention this summer, union leaders plan to hold their own "shadow convention" to promote labor issues they believe too many elected officials are ignoring.

Democrats want to push tax cuts through the Senate for companies that hire new workers, give raises or buy major new equipment this year.

Traditionally we think of the key assets of a business as the capital assets (such as the factory and equipment), or the operational assets (such as their inventory). But if youre any kind of firm where human capital is the key driver, the term key asset has a different meaning.

The most persuasive of the drop-coverage arguments has been that paying any kind of penalty has got to be far less costly than trying to mitigate rising benefits expenses. But according to a white paper, thats just not the case.

Two giant reform requirements are forcing employers to reconsider how theyll offer health care coverage and whether itll be cheaper just to drop their plans.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Monday that he would be willing to consider changes in the state's $77 billion pension system, with a report on expected to be released this week on how the system could be improved.