Employer-Paid

The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose 15,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 309,000.

Much of the increase projected for next year is attributed to the new health care program. Without it, the estimated growth would be 4.5 percent.

The terms spouse and marriage in ERISA and a host of other employee benefit laws over which the DOL has jurisdiction will now include same-sex couples legally married in any state that recognizes such marriages.

Walgreen Co. is joining a growing push from big businesses to shift more responsibility for finding insurance onto their employees as health care costs continue to climb.

The Obama administration approved new rules Tuesday that extend minimum wage and overtime pay to nearly 2 million home health care workers.

Even though many small businesses arent under any obligation to provide health care coverage to employees, nearly two-thirds may do just that within the next three years.