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.

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.

Eczema and asthma sufferers now have a new ray of hope as an international team of researchers led by experts from Dundee University have found the gene that causes dry skin and predisposes people to eczema and asthma. This is the gene which is responsible for producing a protein that makes skin waterproof and keeps out infections. The discovery could lead to new treatments for conditions that affect millions of people, and was welcomed by a range of charities concerned with skin conditions.