Rhode Island lawmakers are mulling changes big and small to a public pension overhaul proposal after hearing from hundreds of Rhode Islanders during 30 hours of hearings on the legislation.

How employers are confronting costly employee stresses.

New York's large and expensive public payrolls are starting to decline, pared down by more baby boomers hitting retirement age, special retirement incentives offered last year and renewed pressure to cut spending that are all starting to cut costs for taxpayers.

Rival deficit-cutting plans advanced by Republicans and Democrats on Congress' secretive supercommittee would both mean smaller-than-expected cost of living benefit increases for veterans and federal retirees as well as Social Security recipients and bump up taxes for some individuals and families, according to officials familiar with the recommendations.