Fined for Creating Jobs
Intel, the multibillion-dollar computer-chip company, whose main plants are in Oregon, is set to pay the state $1,000 for every manufacturing job it creates over 5,000. Officials in Washington County, a suburb of Portland, say that while Intel's growing work force-the largest in the state-has helped jump-start the state's economy, local taxpayers don't want to foot the bill for all the new roads, schools and water lines new residents require. The plan comes along with some substantial tax breaks for Intel.

Discrimination Awards Can Include Damages
Workers who are victims of on-the-job discrimination can win punitive damages in addition to back pay from their former employers, according to a ruling by the Supreme Court. The extra monetary compensation is allowed, however, only if top company officials were responsible for the discrimination. The court said that trial judges should not award damages unless the company itself, not a lone employee, is at fault.

Disabilities Act Clarified
In a long-awaited ruling, the Supreme Court has clarified which workers are eligible for protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act: Employees with "treatable impairments," such as bad eyesight, high blood pressure or diabetes, are not protected by the landmark 1990 law. The decision will allow employers to fire-or not hire-workers with conditions that employers deem inappropriate for the job, such as a pilot who does not have 20-20 vision.

Workers Warned on "Payday Advances"
Consumer advocates are warning workers across the country to steer clear of "payday lending companies," which offer workers an advance on their next paycheck for a fee that can go as high as $30 on a $100 loan-an annual interest rate that exceeds 300 percent. Advocates say the exorbitant fees trap desperate workers in a cycle of escalating debt. Thirty-one states allow the practice, with nearly 8,000 payday-lending companies now operating.