Washington, March 7: With unemployment rate touching 8.1 percent, there seems to be no end to the gloomy prospects of the economy.

Washington -- The number of Americans working multiple jobs to make ends meet stayed steady in 2007 compared with the year before, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says.

Nationally, 5.2 percent of American workers held at least a second job last year, the same percentage as in 2006, The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported Saturday.

While 26 states and the District of Columbia experienced decreases in their multiple job-holding rates in 2007 compared with a year earlier, 20 states recorded increases. Four states reported no change.

Overall, 28 states had higher multiple job-holding rates than the national average, the newspaper reported.

South Dakota had the highest percentage of workers holding multiple jobs at 10.2 percent, followed by Nebraska (9.7 percent), Vermont (9.4 percent), Kansas (8.9 percent), Iowa (8.9 percent), and North Dakota and Minnesota (8.7 percent).

With increasing evidence of a potentially slowing economy, you might not think it's the best time to ask for a raise. But even though many companies are reducing their expected salary bumps in 2008, that shouldn't stop you from getting as much compensation as you deserve.

Does the thought of writing a five-figure tuition check make you feel a little light-headed and queasy, like a nervous teenager on Mountain Dew taking a college entrance exam? If so, just imagine paying for a dozen years of private schooling before the college bills come due.

Chicago -- Up to 25 percent of workers regret having taken a new position within a year of their first paycheck, a U.S. outplacement consulting firm estimated Monday.

Depending on the severity of the regret, Challenger, Gray & Christmas' advice to employees suffering "acceptance remorse" is to leave before it is too late.

"There is nothing to gain by staying in a position you regret taking, but there is a lot to lose," Chief Executive Officer John Challenger said.

Washington -- First-time applications for state unemployment benefits have registered their first increase in six weeks, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday.

Atlanta -- Two former Coca-Cola employees were ordered to federal prison Wednesday for trying to sell trade secrets to rival Pepsi, authorities in Atlanta said.

New York -- CBS News has fired retired Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste as a paid consultant after Batiste made an advertisement critical of U.S. President Bush.