New tax incentives for employers: Are they enough?

Recent data from the Department of Labor indicates that unemployment remains a problem. As of February, the national unemployment rate was 9.7%. This rate is down from the 2009 high of 10.1% in October but not dropping as quickly as hoped.

As part of efforts to boost the numbers of Americans with jobs, two new tax benefits are now available to employers hiring workers who were previously unemployed or only working part time. These provisions are part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act signed into law by President Obama this month.