Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Confounding predictions of mediocre new hiring and a rise in unemployment, the U.S. Department of Labor this morning said 148,000 new jobs were added to the national economy, while the unemployment rate decreased to 7.7 percent, a four-year low.

The economy added 171,000 jobs in October, far more than economists were expecting, while the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 7.9 percent, a development many expected.

After three riveting days of oral arguments in March 2012, employers were left anxiously awaiting the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court about the fate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, expected near the end of June 2012. During this period, employers should take interim steps in order to prepare for the eventual decisions. These steps should take into account the full range of possibilities and should position employer group health plans to react to the possible outcomes, respond to inquiries and requests from internal stakeholders, and consider administrative and design issues presented by the possible Supreme Court decisions.