Jobs bill may get workers back to work

If you're in a hurry to get back to work, the new jobs bill may help

President Obama has signed new legislation intended to create jobs by providing tax breaks for businesses and funding for infrastructure programs. The $17.6 billion package is a slimmed down version of the $85 billion bipartisan proposal drafted last month by the Senate Finance Committee.  Plenty of unemployed workers across the nation are hoping the bill will get them back to work and eventually bring some debt relief.

Highlights of the jobs bill

The new legislation will:

• Provide employers with Social Security payroll-tax exemptions for new hires who were unemployed for at least 60 days
• Provide employers with tax credits for new employees who are retained for at least one year
• Provide tax breaks for businesses that make equipment purchases and other capital expenditures
• Fund highway and transit programs through 2010
• Expand the Build America Bonds program, which helps fund state and municipal construction projects

What job-bill critics say

With job losses continuing to mount and the unemployment rate still hovering at 9.7 percent, many lawmakers, economists and business leaders consider the bill to be small and ineffective. Some contend that the credit will prompt the hiring of about 300,000 workers, but others say companies won't hire regardless of tax incentives unless the demand for products and services increases. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Jobs bill may get workers back to work"