Employer-Paid

The financially troubled Postal Service said Thursday it may close more than 250 mail processing facilities across the country and plans to reduce service standards for first-class mail in an effort to cut costs.

Courting Hispanics while promoting his new jobs plan, President Barack Obama on Wednesday told a black-tie Latino audience that his $447 billion package of tax cuts and public works spending would put more money in the pockets of Latino workers and business owners and increase opportunities for Hispanics.

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits last week jumped to the highest level in three months, a sign that layoffs could be increasing.

As employers have tightened budgets in this economy, they are shutting down entire functions or departments in favor of cheaper outsourcing. The long-term unemployed were victims of budget problems, not talent problems.

A federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled Tuesday the requirement imposed by federal health reform that individuals must buy health insurance or pay a penalty is unconstitutional.

From the U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 highlights:In 2010, the percentage of people without health insurance, 16.3 percent, was not statistically different…