Women Share Blame for Low Pay
With women still earning 74 cents for every dollar earned by men, a survey by Working Woman magazine has found that women are not educating themselves about their market value. Most women don't know what a job really pays, accept the first offer on the table and rarely negotiate for raises, the survey showed. The editors suggest that women break their silence and share salary information with each other, as well as search the Web to find out what men in comparable jobs are making.

Eating Better on the Job
Nutrition programs aimed at encouraging employees to eat better are likely to be successful, according to researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. As part of the study, dozens of workplaces across the country made low-fat foods more available in corporate cafeterias and held contests and events aimed at influencing workers to improve their diets. The researchers say nutrition programs should join antismoking programs as par for the course at most workplaces.

Caregiving Employees Get Little Support
A new survey shows that only 6% of employee benefit plans offer comprehensive coverage for family leave, bereavement leave, or programs to help employees cope with a terminal illness or a terminally ill family member. Two thirds of the firms surveyed, however, report that they are interested in developing such a plan. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 30% of employees care for an elderly relative, and 54% think they'll be in a caregiver role within the next decade.

Sayonara, Silicon Valley?
A Silicon Valley economic group is warning its members that the region could lose its position as the heart of the Internet industry in the near future. From Seattle to New York City, competing regions are using tax incentives and promises of a well-educated workforce to lure high-tech businesses away. Silicon Valley is currently suffering a shortage of qualified workers, with about 16,000 jobs currently unfilled.