If you have clients who may be called into military service, it’s a good idea to evaluate their life insurance options at least six months before active duty begins.

v. Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday gave his negotiators and union leaders more time to discuss $2 billion in labor savings, putting off — for now — issuing the threatened first round of layoff notices to about 4,000 Connecticut workers a day before they were to go out.

The economy gained 244,000 net jobs in April — the third straight month of solid gains. Yet the unemployment rate rose from 8.8 percent to 9 percent.

Companies created 268,000 jobs in April, the most since February 2006. The gains were widespread. Retailers, factories, financial companies, education and health care and even construction companies all added jobs.