Employer-Paid

For those who are getting ready to cut a holiday check or hand out some other sort of recognition, here are a few guidelines to make the giving smoother.

The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of manufacturing activity rose to 57.3. That was up from 56.4 in October and was the highest since April 2011. A reading above 50 signals growth.

The actions would build on a campaign that began about a year ago to call attention to the difficulties of living on the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

A survey by the Lockton Denver Benefit Group found that the average Colorado employers health insurance bill will increase by nearly 11 percent next year.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped 10,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 316,000, a sign that workers are in less danger of being laid off.

CMS posts an actuarial value calculator. D.C. asks for comments on financing.