The Coasts with the Most
A new survey released by consulting firm William M. Mercer has found that salaries on the East and West Coasts continue to outpace those of the rest of the nation. San Jose, California -- home of Silicon Valley -- pays the most, with an average salary equaling 17% more than the national average. New York City was second with 15.4%. Charlotte, North Carolina and Richmond, Virginia, came in closest to the national average.

Secret Service Agents Cite Discrimination
Claiming they are unfairly denied promotions and advancement, a group of veteran black Secret Service agents has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The complaint claims that black agents -- some of whom have served on details protecting President Clinton and Vice President Gore -- have had to contend with "a racially hostile work environment." A lawyer representing the group said that neither Clinton nor Gore ever had any involvement with the racial discrimination.

Strikes Are Out
The Labor Department reports that the number of major strikes by American workers hit a record low in 1999, with just 17, 12 of them in the private sector. About 73,000 workers walked picket lines, for an average of 16 days each. The previous record low of 29 strikes was set in 1997.

Unemployment May Plunge Even Lower, Experts Say
Help-wanted advertising in major U.S. newspapers rose in January, the Conference Board has reported, and online recruiting efforts are strong as well. Analysts are predicting that, given the continued hiring boom, the unemployment rate will dip below 4% this spring. The greatest increase was seen on the West Coast, with parts of California and Seattle leading the way.