Family Leave Law Criticized
The federal law that gives employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a newborn or other family member is confusing to workers and employers, say business leaders. A group told a Senate subcommittee that unresolved questions about the 1993 law include what problems might qualify for a leave, what the deadlines are to apply and what constitutes a "serious illness." The Labor Department claims the law has been a "tremendous success."

Kroger's Vows Safety Changes
Kroger Co., the nation's largest retail grocery company, has begun improving worker training and safety programs after federal inspectors found 75 violations at a Cincinnati, Ohio, plant. Plant supervisors will be required to go through safety training courses. The problems included a lack of guardrails and safety harnesses for workers and machinery that was not turned off during maintenance.

Changes to Pensions Should Be Disclosed, Says Clinton
President Clinton has proposed that companies be required to inform employees about losses in their pension money when the company switches plans. So-called cash-balance pension plans, which many firms are now adopting, can reduce the retirement money an older worker receives by a third or more. Analysts say Congress is likely to approve legislation to require the disclosure.

Minority Women Professionals Say Diversity Programs Are No Help
In a survey of minority women managers and professionals, more than half say their companies are not doing enough to promote diversity in the workplace. Social and corporate barriers, they say, still make it difficult for minority women to compete with white women and men for top jobs. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirm that minority women are still paid less than their white and male counterparts.