By MARK GLOVER, Sacramento Bee

Women are making "no progress" cracking the executive glass ceiling in California, according to a just-released study by the University of California, Davis.

The fifth annual "California Women Business Leaders" study concludes that progress for women at the 400 largest public companies headquartered in the state is little improved since the first survey in 2005.

Most kids love Halloween, but many employers anticipate its arrival with a sense of dread.

The primary reason for workplace angst: How do you control employees who want to dress up in Halloween costumes for the workday?

Susan Kemp, senior labor law counsel for the Sacramento-based California Chamber of Commerce, says it's simple: Spell out the rules to the workers.

California's plan to implement a "cash for appliances" program with federal stimulus funds focuses on three meat-and-potatoes appliances used by millions of residents.

California used-car buyers can go shopping armed with new protections Jan. 1.

That's when two new laws, Senate Bill 95 and Assembly Bill 647, take effect.

SB 95, the California Car Buyers Protection Act, requires auto dealers to pay off outstanding liens before selling or trading a used car.

Did you recently trade in that old clunker for a new car?

OK, so how are you fixed for a new refrigerator? Or maybe a new dishwasher or heat pump?

Brace yourself. A federal "cash for appliances" program is likely on its way to a store near you before the end of the year.

Is that employee preparing the financial report the boss requested or checking out YouTube to see that amazing triple play that was all over sports radio this morning?

Did that tweet just sent out over Twitter close the deal with a key client, or was the sender just chatting up her recipe for blueberry pancakes?

Hundreds of California gas stations face fines or even closure if they don't meet an April 1 deadline to retrofit their pumps with a state-mandated vapor-recovery system.
Although station owners have known about the retrofit deadline since 2000, some say they simply cannot afford to make the transition, which costs about $11,000 per pump.

For decades, automotive repair has been seen as a grease-stained poor relation of the dollar-laden sales segment in the auto industry.
Not now.
As new-car sales have plunged along with consumer confidence, more people are spending to keep their current cars running. Auto service and repair arguably have become the lifeblood of the industry.

Even as a teenager, Gary Cino had an eye for a bargain, turning dollars into profits at Southern California swap meets.As an adult, Cino became one of the nation's pioneering deep-discount retailers.

Auto dealers and prospective car buyers have been wailing about tight credit. Now, new numbers explain their pain.