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President Barack Obama pressured Republicans in Congress on Monday to extend a payroll tax cut, saying the economic recovery is "still fragile" and middle class families need the money.

Jobs seem to be all we talk about these days.

According to the November CBIZ Small Business Employment Index, which examines hiring trends among companies with 300 or fewer employees, the rate grew by .35 percent in November after decreasing by 1.28 percent in October.

House GOP leaders are struggling with divisions within their party over whether to extend the payroll tax cut, after the Senate punted on its efforts to keep the tax holiday going another year.

The Republican-led Michigan Senate on Thursday approved several bills aimed at shoring up Michigan's unemployment benefits fund, although Democrats said one of the measures could make it harder for the jobless to get and keep their benefits.

Senate Republicans on Thursday defeated a plan by President Barack Obama to renew a temporary cut in the Social Security payroll tax, even as all sides on Capitol Hill continue to promise an eventual compromise on a tax holiday before Congress leaves Washington for Christmas.