Job Growth Stays Up
June statistics from the U.S. Labor Department showed continuing strong job growth in all industries except manufacturing and mining. Across the nation, more than a quarter of a million new jobs were created. The current boom is reaching across racial boundaries, with the jobless rate for blacks at a record low of 7.3 percent.

No OT Pay for Silicon Valley
A new California law mandating overtime pay for all workers who put in more than an eight-hour day will not apply to high-tech workers, thanks to a last-minute amendment. Silicon Valley employers had protested that the law would interfere with the "flex time" schedules needed to attract employees. Many in Silicon Valley opt to work four ten-hour days weekly, to cut down on commuting costs and increase family time.

California Firefighters Seek "White Rights"
Claiming the need to organize to protect their rights, a group of white firefighters in the San Jose Fire Department has organized a "European-American" support group. So far, 30 members have joined. The department has previously been the target of discrimination lawsuits brought by both black and white employees.

A Plug for Worker Gene Tests
Genetic testing of employees could prevent many diseases and save healthcare dollars, according to a study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The testing would be most cost-effective in high-risk workplaces, the researchers found. The ethical issues of mandatory testing, however, remain sticky, and it is still illegal to fire someone based on genetic information.